Trump: I Would Have Kept Bagram, Taken Soldiers out Last, Not Left Equipment

On Wednesday’s “Hugh Hewitt Show,” 2024 Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump stated that even though he would have withdrawn from Afghanistan, he would have kept Bagram Air Base, not withdrawn American soldiers first, and not left American military equipment behind in Afghanistan.

Trump stated that while he was going to withdraw, “we were also keeping the monster Air Force base that cost billions and billions of dollars to build many years before, the longest runways, the most powerful runways in the world. And we weren’t keeping it for Afghanistan. We were keeping it because it’s an hour away from where China makes their nuclear weapons. It’s called Bagram. And Bagram, they gave it up. … And you don’t bring the soldiers out first. The first thing you learn is you don’t take — you take the soldiers out last. So, we have people there, perhaps thousands of people, American people, but others, that should have come out. … I said, I want every nail, I want every screw, every tank, every plane. I even want the hangars that they built, their portable hangars, big canvas, portable hangars. I want everything. And it was all coming out.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett

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