FILE - A gate is seen at the Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, Friday, June 25, 2021. President Donald Trump has suggested he’s working to reestablish a U.S. presence at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. That comes four years after America鈥檚 chaotic withdrawal from the country left the base in the Taliban鈥檚 hands. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul, File)
The Taliban reject Trump鈥檚 bid to retake Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan
JALALABAD, Afghanistan (AP) 鈥 The Taliban government on Sunday rejected U.S. President Donald Trump鈥檚 bid to retake Bagram Air Base, four years after America鈥檚 chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan left the sprawling military facility in the Taliban’s hands.
FILE - A gate is seen at the Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, Friday, June 25, 2021. President Donald Trump has suggested he’s working to reestablish a U.S. presence at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. That comes four years after America鈥檚 chaotic withdrawal from the country left the base in the Taliban鈥檚 hands. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul, File)
JALALABAD, Afghanistan (AP) 鈥 The Taliban government on Sunday rejected U.S. President Donald Trump鈥檚 bid to retake Bagram Air Base, four years after America鈥檚 chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan left the sprawling military facility in the Taliban’s hands.
Trump on Saturday renewed his call to reestablish a U.S. presence at Bagram, even saying 鈥渨e鈥檙e talking now to Afghanistan鈥 about the matter. He did not offer further details about the purported conversations. Asked by a reporter if he鈥檇 consider deploying U.S. troops to take the base, Trump demurred.
鈥淲e won鈥檛 talk about that,鈥 Trump said. 鈥淲e want it back, and we want it back right away. If they don鈥檛 do it, you鈥檙e going to find out what I鈥檓 going to do.鈥
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On Sunday, chief Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid rejected Trump鈥檚 assertions and urged the U.S. to adopt a policy of 鈥渞ealism and rationality.鈥
Afghanistan had an economy-oriented foreign policy and sought constructive relations with all states on the basis of mutual and shared interests, Mujahid posted on X.
It had been consistently communicated to the U.S. in all bilateral negotiations that Afghanistan鈥檚 independence and territorial integrity were of the utmost importance, he said.
鈥淚t should be recalled that, under the Doha Agreement, the United States pledged that 鈥榠t will not use or threaten force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Afghanistan, nor interfere in its internal affairs,鈥欌 he said. The U.S. needed to remain faithful to its commitments, he added.
Mujahid did not reply to questions from The Associated Press about conversations with the Trump administration regarding Bagram and why Trump believed the U.S. could retake it.
In August last year, the Taliban celebrated the third anniversary of their takeover at Bagram with of abandoned U.S. hardware, catching the eye of the White House. Trump has repeatedly criticized his predecessor, Joe Biden, for his 鈥済ross incompetence鈥 during the withdrawal of U.S. forces after the country鈥檚 longest war.
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Trump last week during his state visit to the United Kingdom hinted that the Taliban, who have , international legitimacy, internal rifts and rival militant groups since in 2021, could be game to allow the U.S. military to return.
鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to get it back because they need things from us,鈥 Trump said of the Taliban. While the U.S. and the Taliban have no formal diplomatic ties, the sides have had . An American man who was abducted more than two years ago while traveling through Afghanistan as a tourist was in March.
The Taliban also said they on an exchange of prisoners as part of an effort to normalize relations between the United States and Afghanistan.
They gave no details of the detainee swap, and the White House did not comment on the meeting in Kabul or the results described in a Taliban statement. The Taliban released photographs from their talks, showing their foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, with Trump鈥檚 special envoy for hostage response, .
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Associated Press writer Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed to this report.
