Trump warns Afghanistan of 'bad things' if Bagram air base is not returned

US President Donald Trump has warned Afghanistan over control of the Bagram air base, saying the country faces consequences if it does not return the facility to Washington.

"If Afghanistan doesn’t give Bagram Airbase back to those that built it, the United States of America, BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN," Trump wrote Saturday on Truth Social.

Trump has recently argued that the United States should reclaim the site, which served as a key hub for American forces after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Also Read: Trump says US aims to regain Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan

Speaking to reporters on Friday, he said discussions were underway with Afghan representatives.

The base fell under Taliban control following the US military withdrawal in 2021. Afghan officials, however, have made it clear they oppose any return of American troops.

"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, a foreign ministry official, wrote Thursday on X.