Trump Pushes to Reclaim Bagram Airbase, Disagrees with UK on Palestine Recognition

Trump Seeks Return of Afghanistan’s Bagram Airbase, Splits with UK on Palestine Recognition

Chequers, UK,Nazrana Times Ali Imran Chattha 

US President Donald Trump announced that Washington is “trying to get back” control of Afghanistan’s Bagram Air Base, even as he stood alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at their first joint press conference. The statement, made at the prime minister’s country residence, underscored America’s renewed strategic focus on South Asia while also exposing sharp divisions between the allies over Palestinian statehood.

Trump described Bagram as “one of the biggest airbases in the world,” arguing that its proximity to areas where China is allegedly developing nuclear weapons makes it a strategic necessity. The base was abandoned in 2021 during the US and NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan, later falling under Taliban control. His remarks signal a potential policy shift that could complicate regional dynamics.

On the Middle East, both leaders pledged to work urgently to ease the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, stressing the need for unimpeded aid and the release of hostages. Starmer labelled the situation “intolerable” and reiterated his commitment to a “road map to peace” that could include recognising Palestine as a state.

Trump openly disagreed with the UK’s position, calling it “one of our few disagreements.” He insisted the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was “complex” but said he remained confident it would eventually be resolved.

Starmer rejected suggestions that Britain was delaying recognition to avoid clashing with Washington. “Our position is clear, and it will not be dictated by visits or schedules,” he said, referencing his government’s earlier statements on timing.

Despite the differences, the summit produced a landmark bilateral agreement. A new science and technology pact, valued at £150 billion ($204 billion), was unveiled, with American firms set to invest heavily in British projects ranging from artificial intelligence and quantum computing to clean energy. Starmer hailed the deal as “the biggest investment package in UK history.”

While the investment deal demonstrated robust transatlantic ties, Trump’s unexpected remarks on Afghanistan suggested the United States may seek to reassert its presence in a region it exited just four years ago.