U.S. President Donald Trump has said his administration is exploring ways to regain control of Bagram air base in Afghanistan, the former hub of American military operations during the two-decade war.

Speaking at a press conference in the UK alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday, September 18, Trump described the base as strategically important because of its proximity to China.

“We’re trying to get it back,” he said, adding that Washington views Bagram as a critical asset.

Bagram, built during the Soviet era and expanded under U.S. control, was the largest foreign military installation in Afghanistan. It served as the main launch point for air operations, supply missions and medical evacuations from 2001 until the U.S. and NATO withdrawal in 2021. The base was handed over to Afghan forces in July of that year, weeks before the Taliban’s military takeover.

Since then, the Taliban have maintained control of the facility, which still contains long runways, barracks, a military hospital and fortified perimeters.

There has been no official response from Taliban authorities to Trump’s latest remarks.

It remains unclear what steps the U.S. could take to pursue the return of Bagram, or how the Taliban would respond to such a demand.