China, in his words · Second term · № 104
Said China was occupying Bagram air base, one hour from its nuclear missile sites
“We were going to get out, but we were going to keep Bagram, not because of Afghanistan but because of China, because it's exactly 1 hour away from where China makes its nuclear missiles. ... We gave it up. And you know who's occupying it right now? China. China. Biden gave it up.”
- Said
- , Cabinet meeting, White House
- Subject
- Bagram air base
- Threat
- Military threat
- Topic
- Foreign policy
- Era
- Second term
What the record showed
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid answered days later that "Bagram is controlled by the Islamic Emirate [Taliban regime], not China. Chinese troops are not present here, nor do we have any such pact with any country." Trump repeated the claim, saying on July 8, 2025 that the base "right now is controlled by China." In September 2025 he demanded the base back; Al Jazeera reported on September 21, 2025 that the Taliban rejected the demand, and that the site Trump referred to was likely China's Lop Nur testing range in Xinjiang.