Since the withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan, former U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that the United States should not have abandoned Bagram Airbase. Almost every time he refers to the military base located in Parwan province, north of Kabul, he immediately follows with a claim that "China has taken control of Bagram." In his latest statement during a cabinet meeting held earlier this month (on July 7), Trump said: “If it were up to me, I would have kept the massive Bagram military base under our control, which is now in China’s hands. Bagram had one of the strongest runways in the world, built with concrete and steel. It was a huge base surrounded by hundreds of kilometers of solid walls, with a highly secure perimeter. No one could enter it.” To verify Trump’s claims, to closely examine the current condition of Bagram Airbase and determine whether any recent developments indicate a Chinese military presence at Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan, and the location in China allegedly involved in nuclear weapons development, as Trump has repeatedly claimed that Bagram is just an hour away from China’s nuclear weapons site.
The strategic importance of Bagram Airbase can be gauged from the fact that over the past two decades, three U.S. Presidents—George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump—have visited the base. Joe Biden also visited Bagram Airbase in 2011, though he was serving as Vice President of the United States at the time. The Soviet Union established this military base in Afghanistan’s Parwan province in the 1950s. During the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s, Bagram served as a critical stronghold for Soviet forces. After the September 11 attacks and the U.S. declaration of a "War on Terror," American troops entered and took control of Bagram in December 2001. For nearly two decades, it remained a central hub for military operations against al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Spanning 77 square kilometers, the base included barracks and housing facilities capable of accommodating over 10,000 troops simultaneously. Out of Bagram’s two runways, one stretches over 2.5 kilometers in length. According to Donald Trump, “this base had the largest and strongest concrete runway,” claiming the runway was approximately two meters thick.
Three US presidents have visited Bagram Air Base in the past two decades: George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump. Joe Biden visited Bagram Air Base in 2011, but he was the US vice president at the time.
A clear difference can be observed in satellite images taken before the U.S. withdrawal and after the Taliban came to power. We reviewed numerous satellite photos captured at different points in time. For example, in a satellite image taken by Planet Labs on September 24, 2020, at least 35 different aircraft can be seen at Bagram Airbase. However, in an image taken nearly a year after the Taliban’s takeover, on July 15, 2022, not a single aircraft is visible anywhere across the entire base. In the two images taken on October 2, 2020, we highlighted several planes in red to make them more noticeable. In another satellite image captured in 2011, at least 120 different fighter jets and helicopters are visible across the Bagram airfield area. Other satellite imagery reveals two major changes. Firstly, hundreds of containers have been relocated from various parts of the base. These containers may have been used for logistical storage. It appears that the containers were either moved out of Bagram Airbase or repositioned within different areas of the facility. At least 40 containers were removed from two locations inside the base. This change is shown in two images taken on July 24, 2022, and April 25, 2025. Secondly, over 100 different vehicles can be seen parked in another part of the base. It appears these vehicles were gathered from various sections of the base and parked in a single area following the Taliban’s takeover.
The presence of aircraft at Bagram Base
Satellite images taken over the past three years from Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan show minimal vehicle activity on the internal roads of the military base. These satellite images, captured at different times, indicate that there have been no major structural changes at the former U.S. military airbase. Several of these high-resolution satellite images were shared with Jennifer Jones from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) for analysis. According to her assessment, except for one image from February 2025 that shows a helicopter on the runway, all other satellite images taken between mid-2021 and April 2025 reveal no visible military aircraft at the airfield. Jones clarified that this doesn’t necessarily mean that no aircraft have arrived at Bagram Airbase during the past four years. Aircraft activity may not have occurred during the satellite overpass windows (typically between 11 AM and 2 PM local time), or the aircraft could have been moved to secure or covered locations not visible in the imagery. In some satellite images from early 2025, dark stains on parts of the airfield surface appear, which could indicate old oil or fuel storage marks. According to Jones, the most critical indicator of the airfield’s current status is the runway condition. She noted that operational military runways are always kept free from debris for safety reasons. The latest images from April 2025 show that both runways at Bagram Airbase remain intact and in good condition, even under Taliban control. However, no aircraft were visible in any 2025 satellite photographs. Based on the available data, Jones concluded that the airbase remains largely unchanged since the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Donald Trump has repeatedly spoken about Bagram Airbase, emphasizing its strategic importance not because of Afghanistan, but in the context of China. He has often stated, "Forget Afghanistan. Bagram Airbase is just one hour away from where China is building nuclear weapons." But is it really a one-hour distance between the two locations, as Trump has repeatedly claimed? So far, apart from Russia, no country has officially recognized the Taliban government. However, there are cordial relations between China and the Taliban. Both parties have signed an agreement to develop the Mes Aynak copper mine in Afghanistan, one of the world’s largest copper reserves. While most countries no longer maintain diplomatic missions in Afghanistan, China has appointed an ambassador to Kabul. China’s closest known nuclear testing facility to Bagram is located in Lop Nur, in northwestern China, approximately 2,000 kilometers away from the base. It remains unclear what exactly Trump means by “one hour away.” This certainly isn’t accurate in terms of land distance. However, if using a high-speed military jet such as the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, such a journey could theoretically be completed in about an hour through air travel. In contrast to Donald Trump’s repeated references to China and Bagram Airbase, both the Taliban government and China have consistently denied such claims. reached out to the White House requesting evidence to support Trump’s assertion that China is operating from Bagram, but no response was provided. Also sought permission from the Taliban administration to visit the base and observe current activity, but the request was denied. For the past three years, Bagram Airbase has been used by Taliban forces for military parades and ceremonies, utilizing equipment left behind by U.S. forces. It’s worth noting that the U.S. military vacated the airbase in 2021 under the cover of night, without informing the then-Afghan government.
This route is by no means an hour's journey by land.
Powered by Froala Editor