Washington, D.C. US President Donald Trump on Saturday warned that &ldquo;bad things are going to happen&rdquo; if&nbsp; Afghanistan does not return control of the Bagram air base to the United States. 
He did not rule out sending troops to retake the base.
&ldquo;If Afghanistan doesn&rsquo;t give Bagram Airbase back to those that built it, the United States of America, BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN,&rdquo; Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social.
Trump previously said on Thursday that the United States had been seeking to regain control of Bagram, which was used by American forces after the September 11, 2001 attacks.&nbsp;
On Friday, he told reporters that discussions with Afghanistan were ongoing.
The Taliban takeover in 2021 allowed the group to seize American bases and overthrow the US-backed government in Kabul after US troops withdrew.
Current and former US officials have warned that any attempt to re-occupy Bagram could resemble a re-invasion, potentially requiring over 10,000 troops and advanced air defence systems, according to Reuters.
Trump, who has previously shown interest in acquiring strategic sites from the Panama Canal to Greenland, has reportedly focused on Bagram for years. 
Asked whether he would deploy US forces to retake the base, Trump avoided a direct answer, saying, &ldquo;We won&rsquo;t talk about that,&rdquo; but added, &ldquo;We&rsquo;re talking now to Afghanistan, and we want it back and we want it back soon, right away. And if they don&rsquo;t do it &mdash; you&rsquo;re going to find out what I&rsquo;m gonna do.&rdquo;
The Bagram airfield served as the main base for American forces in Afghanistan for two decades after the September 11 attacks.&nbsp;
At its peak, it included fast-food outlets like Burger King and Pizza Hut, shops selling electronics and Afghan rugs, and a large prison complex.

Trump warns Afghanistan over Bagram air base

Trump warns Afghanistan of “bad things” if Bagram air base is not returned to the US

Trump Warns Afghanistan Over Bagram Air Base

Trump warns Afghanistan of “bad things” if Bagram air base is not returned to the US

September 21, 2025 | 16:19 IST