US President Donald Trump on Thursday claimed that China now occupies the Bagram Airfield, which American forces had vacated weeks before pulling out from Afghanistan in 2021.
Trump Claimed that China Now Occupies the Bagram Airfield
Who Controls Bagram Airfield? Trump’s Claim and the Reality
Trump’s Allegation
Former US President Donald Trump claimed on Thursday that China now occupies the Bagram Airfield, which American forces vacated weeks before their final withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. According to Trump, the US was supposed to “keep” Bagram, calling it strategically important as it lies “an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons.” He blamed the Biden administration for giving it up, adding, “Right now, China occupies Bagram.”
Fact Check: No Chinese Presence Confirmed
It remains unclear which Chinese nuclear facility Trump was referencing. The closest known Chinese nuclear site, Lop Nur in Xinjiang, is approximately 2,000 km away. The Koko Nur complex in Qinghai province, another nuclear facility, is even farther east.
Trump made a similar claim in March 2024, which prompted a strong denial from the Taliban. They stated:
“Bagram is controlled by the Islamic Emirate (Taliban), not China. Chinese troops are not present here, nor do we have any such pact with any country.”
History of Bagram Airfield
Bagram Airfield, located about 60 km north of Kabul in Parwan province, is Afghanistan’s largest air base. Its location is highly strategic—Parwan holds the key to controlling much of Afghanistan. The 2.6 km-long Salang Tunnel connects Kabul with cities like Mazar-e-Sharif to the north and highways link it to Ghazni, Kandahar, and Bamiyan.
- Built in the 1950s by the Soviets during the Cold War
- In 1959, US President Dwight Eisenhower landed there on a landmark visit
- Became a critical Soviet base during the Soviet-Afghan War (1979–1989)
- Housed Soviet airborne troops
- Sukhoi Su-25 aircraft flew missions from Bagram
- The base was heavily fortified and militarized
US Withdrawal and the Fate of Bagram
In 2020, the Trump administration signed a deal with the Taliban, agreeing to a full NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan. Over the following year:
- The Taliban gained territory rapidly
- The final US aircraft left Kabul on August 30, 2021
- Bagram Airfield was vacated by US forces on July 2, 2021, and it fell to the Taliban on August 15
According to US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, retaining Bagram would have required 5,000 US troops to defend and operate it, a politically unfeasible move amid dwindling domestic support.
Conclusion
While Trump claims China has taken over Bagram, there is no verified evidence to support this. The airfield is currently under Taliban control, and no foreign troops, including Chinese, are known to be stationed there. The claim appears to be part of a broader political narrative rather than a confirmed strategic development.
