On Saturday, Trump said in a statement that the US wants Bagram back and that the process should begin immediately. He also claimed that “talks are ongoing with Afghanistan” on the issue, but declined to provide further details. When asked if he was considering sending US troops there again, he did not give a direct answer.

On Sunday, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid rejected Trump’s statements, saying that Afghanistan’s foreign policy is now focused on economic development and cooperation. He wrote on Twitter that relations with all countries will be built on mutual interests.

Mujahid also reiterated that under the Doha Agreement, the US had promised to respect Afghanistan’s sovereignty and not interfere in its internal affairs. He said, “The US must stick to its word. There is no room for threats or use of force.”

Fasihuddin Fitrat, Chief of Staff of the Afghan Ministry of Defense, also responded to Trump’s statement, saying that not an inch of Afghan territory can be ceded.

It is noteworthy that Bagram Air Base fell into the hands of the Taliban in 2021 after the US withdrawal. Last year, on its third anniversary, the Taliban held a massive military parade, displaying weapons and military equipment left behind by the US. This also caused political uproar in the US.

Donald Trump has repeatedly called the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan a “historic mistake by Biden” and is now advocating for the recapture of Bagram. However, the Taliban’s response makes it clear that they will not accept any such plan.