China could take hold of Bagram air base, warns Trump

New Delhi, Nov 8 (IANS) Former US President Donald Trump has slammed the Joe Biden administrations "surrender" of Afghanistan, warning that China could take hold of the Bagram Air Base, formerly the largest US military base in Afghanistan, Fox News reported.

In an exclusive interview with Fox News, Trump accused the Biden administration of intentionally trying to move on from the withdrawal and its ongoing aftermath.

"We would have kept Bagram because it is next to China," Trump said, adding, "And it is one hour away from their nuclear facility, and we gave that up too. And now China's going to take over Bagram, in my opinion."

Trump told Fox News that even while he planned to eventually withdraw from Afghanistan, he would have maintained hold over the Parwan Detention Facility -- a military prison at the Bagram Air Base.

"What they did with the so-called withdrawal, which was really a surrender, it was the most embarrassing, horrible thing, and I don't know that we will ever psychologically recover from that," Trump said, Fox News reported.

Trump, during his administration, had brokered a deal with the Taliban for a May 2021 troop withdrawal.

"Don't forget, I'm the one who brought it down to 2,500 troops. I would have been out too, but we would have been out with strength. We would have come out with strength," Trump said.

Meanwhile, Trump blasted the Biden administration for pulling the military out first, amid reports of hundreds of American citizens and US visa holders remaining in Afghanistan under Taliban rule.

"We would have gotten all the people out, we would have brought all of our equipment out, we wouldn't have had dead soldiers, we wouldn't have soldiers missing arms and legs—because people don't even talk about that—we lost 13, but we have many that have been gravely wounded. None of that would have happened," Trump said.

"It was time to get out, but the way he got out was such a disaster," he added.

As per the report, Trump went on to say that he holds "the generals responsible because they should have never allowed that to happen".