The Taliban government of Afghanistan has rebuffed U.S. President Donald Trump’s attempt to reoccupy the strategic Bagram Airbase, insisting any bilateral engagement must exclude military footprints, as Washington weighs leveraging the site for talks on detained Americans and countering China’s regional influence.

Taliban Foreign Ministry official Zakir Jalal posted on X that Kabul welcomes political and economic ties with the U.S. based on "mutual respect and shared interests," but firmly ruled out reestablishing a presence at Bagram or elsewhere.

The rejection came hours after Trump, during a UK press conference with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, revealed ongoing efforts to "get it back," lamenting the 2021 handover under President Joe Biden as a "total disaster." Bagram, a Soviet-era airfield 40 miles north of Kabul, anchored U.S. operations for two decades post-9/11, housing up to 40,000 troops and a notorious detention center where thousands endured indefinite imprisonment and allegations of torture.

Trump, who inked the 2020 Doha accord paving the way for withdrawal, has long coveted its recapture, citing its proximity—about an hour's flight—to China's nuclear facilities in Xinjiang. "We gave it to them for nothing... We’re trying to get it back because they need things from us," he said, hinting at negotiations tied to economic aid or sanctions relief. 

Reports suggest Washington views Bagram as bargaining leverage, not just for hostages but access to Afghanistan's $1 trillion mineral reserves, including lithium vital for EVs. Yet, no active military plans exist, per U.S. officials, with reoccupation potentially requiring 10,000+ troops and air defenses, risking an "Afghan re-invasion" quagmire.