Former U.S. President Donald Trump announced on September 17, 2025, that the United States is actively seeking to regain control of the Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, which was handed over to the Taliban amid the chaotic U.S. withdrawal in 2021. Speaking at a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in the UK, Trump emphasized the strategic importance of the base, located about an hour away from where China develops its nuclear weapons. He criticized the previous U.S. administration for relinquishing the base “for nothing” and highlighted its value in countering regional threats, particularly from China. The Bagram Air Base, a key hub during America’s two-decade-long war in Afghanistan, is seen as vital for maintaining a strategic U.S. presence in Central Asia and the broader Indo-Pacific. The development signals a possible recalibration of U.S. foreign policy with implications for security dynamics involving China, Afghanistan, and regional powers, including India. Talks on regaining the base remain confidential, but the announcement underscores renewed American intent to strengthen its influence near China.