A startling investigation has uncovered that the Trump administration clandestinely agreed to surrender the strategically vital Bagram Airfield to the Taliban as part of the now-infamous 2020 Doha agreement. This explosive revelation, based on official documents, directly contradicts Donald Trump's public narrative of a 'conditions-based' withdrawal and places the origins of the disastrous 2021 exit squarely on his watch.
The secret deal, which was never disclosed to the American public or key allies, stipulated the handover of the massive military complex to the militant group the US had been fighting for nearly two decades. This move effectively abandoned the recognised Afghan government and handed the Taliban a monumental strategic and symbolic victory without a fight.
The Hidden Clause That Sealed Afghanistan's Fate
Buried within the agreement was a commitment to "turn over to the Taliban… Bagram Airfield and all its facilities." This clause, revealed through official correspondence, shows the previous administration's plan was far more extensive than previously acknowledged. The airbase was not just to be closed, but actively transferred to the control of the very insurgents coalition forces had been battling.
This arrangement left the succeeding Biden administration with a near-impossible situation. The agreement had already set a firm, and many argue reckless, timetable for total withdrawal, stripping US negotiators of crucial leverage and setting the stage for the Taliban's rapid and brutal reconquest of the country.
A Legacy of Contradiction and Chaos
Former President Trump has repeatedly and publicly criticised President Biden's handling of the withdrawal, calling it the "most embarrassing moment" in American history. However, these new documents reveal a profound hypocrisy, demonstrating that the framework for the calamitous exit—including the abandonment of billions in military hardware and the fateful surrender of Bagram—was engineered by his own team.
The secret handover agreement explains the shocking speed of the Taliban's takeover in 2021. With Bagram—the nerve centre of Afghan defence—essentially gifted to them, the militant group faced little organised resistance as they swept across the country, culminating in the fall of Kabul.
This revelation not only rewrites the early history of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan but also raises grave questions about transparency, strategic planning, and the long-term consequences of a secret deal made with an adversary.
