LONDON, U.K.: The United States is seeking to regain control of Bagram air base in Afghanistan, President Donald Trump said this week during a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. An Afghan official quickly rejected the idea, saying no U.S. military presence was needed.

Bagram, initially built by the Soviets, served as the central hub for U.S. forces after the September 11, 2001, attacks. It remained central to American operations throughout the two-decade war until the 2021 withdrawal, when the Taliban regained control of the country.

"We're trying to get it back," Trump said, calling the base strategically important given its proximity to China. "We want that base back."

Afghan officials dismissed the prospect. Zakir Jalal of the foreign ministry posted on X that Kabul and Washington could build relations "without the United States maintaining any military presence in any part of Afghanistan." He added that future cooperation should focus on economic and political ties rooted in mutual respect.

China also weighed in, stressing its support for Afghanistan's sovereignty. Foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on September 19 that "the future and destiny of Afghanistan should be held in the hands of the Afghan people," adding that "stoking tensions and creating confrontation in the region wins no popular support."

Meanwhile, U.S. officials held rare talks with Taliban leaders in Kabul over the weekend to address the detention of American citizens in Afghanistan. Adam Boehler, the Trump administration's special hostage envoy, and Zalmay Khalilzad, a former U.S. envoy for Afghanistan, met with Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

The United States does not formally recognize the Taliban government, which has ruled Afghanistan since the collapse of the Western-backed administration in 2021.