Trump Urges Taliban to Return US Military Equipment Left in Afghanistan

US President Donald Trump has once again called for the return of billions of dollars worth of US military hardware. This happened when the Taliban took control of Afghanistan and US soldiers departed Afghanistan in 2021. Trump voiced his anger at the current state of affairs during his speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Maryland on Saturday. He focused on his anger about the loss of military hardware.

Much of the military gear gathered during his first administration was left in Afghanistan and is currently in Taliban possession, Trump noted. His anger grew from the observation that the Taliban regularly present these assets in military parades.

What Trump Said?

Trump stated “We have a great, you know, I rebuilt our entire military in the first term. We left a lot of it, although a lot of it, but very small, relatively, in Afghanistan. The Taliban has it. You know, they have their parade every year where they take our military vehicles and run them up some little street, and like it’s their form of a military parade, and it makes me angry when I see that. Angry. When I see that, I get angry.”

Trump is demanding that Afghanistan return US military equipment

“It’s their form of a military parade, and it makes me angry when I see that. Angry. When I see that, I get angry. You know, we give them I don’t think anyone knows this. We give Afghanistan about 2 or 2 and a… pic.twitter.com/W6NImMf9NC

— Alex Kennedy (@therealmindman) February 23, 2025

Demands For Holding Aid Until Damaged Items Are Given

Furthermore, Trump noted that the United States still sends Afghanistan financial assistance and suggested that such aid be cut back until gear is returned.

“You know, we give them-I don’t think anyone knows this-we give Afghanistan about two or two and a half billion dollars a year. Do you know that? For aid, aid. We need aid ourselves. I want to look at it, but if we’re going to give them money, it’s okay. But I want them to give us back our military equipment that they have,” he included.

US Military Pulldown

With the US leaving Afghanistan officially on August 30, 2021, America’s longest battle ended after nearly two decades of military occupation. Even if most military hardware was deactivated or demolished before the withdrawal, reports show that Taliban forces ended up with some vehicles and arms.

Trump has often criticized the Biden government for what he sees to be a poorly planned draw and called the withdrawal a “disastrous” move.