The United States is in negotiations with the Taliban about re-establishing a limited military presence at Afghanistan’s Bagram air base, once the hub of American operations in the country, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal on Friday. Citing sources familiar with the talks, the Journal said the discussions include a potential prisoner exchange, an economic arrangement, and a security component, with the aim of creating a counter-terrorism launch point in the region.
The talks are being led by Adam Boehler, the US Special Envoy for Hostage Response, and are reported to involve senior Taliban officials. Among the issues under consideration is Washington’s push to regain access to Bagram air base, which President Donald Trump described on Thursday as strategically vital because of its proximity to China. Speaking at a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump said, “We’re trying to get it back… We want that base back,” lamenting its handover during the 2021 US withdrawal.
Built by the Soviet Union and later transformed into America’s main military hub during the two-decade war in Afghanistan, Bagram holds symbolic and strategic weight. It was central to US counterterrorism operations following the September 11, 2001, attacks, until the chaotic American withdrawal paved the way for the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021.
Kabul, however, has firmly rejected the possibility of any renewed US military presence. “Afghanistan and the United States need to engage with one another … without the United States maintaining any military presence in any part of Afghanistan,” Zakir Jalal, an Afghan foreign ministry official, posted on X. He added that Afghanistan is open to economic and political cooperation with Washington, but only on the basis of mutual respect and shared interests.
China has also weighed in on the matter, with foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian reiterating Beijing’s respect for Afghanistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Responding to questions about Trump’s remarks, Lin warned against foreign interference, saying, “The future and destiny of Afghanistan should be held in the hands of the Afghan people. Stoking tensions and creating confrontation in the region wins no popular support.”
Meanwhile, the US continues to engage Kabul over the detention of American citizens in Afghanistan. On Saturday, Boehler, joined by former US Special Envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad, met with Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to discuss the cases. Washington does not formally recognize the Taliban government, but it has maintained limited engagement to address humanitarian and security concerns, as well as hostage diplomacy.
The negotiations underscore Washington’s dilemma: balancing its desire to reassert a counter terrorism foothold in South Asia with the Taliban’s insistence on sovereignty, while navigating regional sensitivities, particularly China’s opposition to renewed US presence on Afghan soil.
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