Trump Seeks to Reclaim Bagram Air Base From Taliban

3 DAYS AGO·UPDATED 2 DAYS AGO

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Above: U.S. President Donald Trump and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer at a press conference during Trump's state visit in Aylesbury, England, on Sept. 18, 2025. Image copyright: Leon Neal/Staff/Getty Images

The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

Reclaiming Bagram represents essential strategic positioning against China's growing nuclear threat. The base sits just an hour from Chinese nuclear weapons facilities, providing critical surveillance capabilities that America hastily abandoned. With China rapidly expanding its arsenal to 1,000 warheads by 2030, maintaining eyes on its operations becomes vital for national security. The Taliban needs American assistance, creating leverage for negotiations that could restore this strategic foothold.

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Establishment-critical narrative

Retaking Bagram would require tens of thousands of troops in an isolated, landlocked position surrounded by hostile forces. The enormous costs and risks of securing this vulnerable outpost far outweigh any strategic advantages, especially when modern surveillance technology offers alternatives. This plan contradicts Trump's own 2020 withdrawal agreement and risks dragging America back into Afghanistan's endless conflicts. The proximity argument fails since China's main nuclear facilities lie far away in eastern China.

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