U.S. President Donald Trump's claim to retake the Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan is just a bluff, as the United States is not as powerful as before, said Sayed Qaribullah Sadat, an Afghan expert on international affairs, on Saturday. The response follows Trump's expression of his intent to regain control of the airbase on several occasions. Located about 50 km north of Kabul, the Bagram Airbase was the hub of U.S. and NATO operations during the two-decade-long War in Afghanistan. The withdrawal of American forces in 2021 resulted in the Taliban taking control of the base. During his recent visit to Britain, Trump said that the United States is "trying to take back" the Bagram Airbase. The remarks have attracted widespread attention and sparked speculation about whether the United States intends to redeploy troops to Afghanistan. On Saturday, Trump told reporters at the White House that the United States is in talks with Afghanistan regarding regaining control of the airbase, saying, "We want it back, and we want it back soon, right away." Sadat said the United States has been arbitrarily interfering in the internal affairs of other countries in disregard of international law. "The U.S. interferes in all issues of the world and other countries, but international law exists and every country is independent," he said. Sadat said that the Afghan people paid a huge price for the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan, and that the damage caused by the war has not been eliminated yet. "The U.S. invaded Afghanistan in a brutal manner, followed by 20 years of false and empty promises. They appeared in Afghanistan in the name of peace and democracy, but they fueled war and conflict here. Instead of benefiting from them, Afghans were harmed," he said. Sadat said Trump's claim that U.S. troops would return to the Bagram Airbase was just another bluff. "It violates all principles of international law and the will of the Afghans. It's one of the most outright lies the United States has told in various ways over the years. It's just a bluff. The U.S. is no longer as powerful as it used to be," he said. SHOTLIST: FILE: Kabul, Afghanistan - 2024 1. Cityscape; FILE: Kabul, Afghanistan - Aug 27, 2024 2. Traffic; Kabul, Afghanistan - Sept 21, 2025 3. SOUNDBITE (Dari) Sayed Qaribullah Sadat, expert on international affairs: "The U.S. interferes in all issues of the world and other countries, but international law exists and every country is independent."; FILE: Kabul, Afghanistan - Aug 27, 2024 4. Traffic; Kabul, Afghanistan - Sept 21, 2025 5. SOUNDBITE (Dari) Sayed Qaribullah Sadat, expert on international affairs: "The U.S. invaded Afghanistan in a brutal manner, followed by 20 years of false and empty promises. They appeared in Afghanistan in the name of peace and democracy, but they fueled war and conflict here. Instead of benefiting from them, Afghans were harmed."; FILE: Kabul, Afghanistan - 2024 6. Various of traffic, pedestrians; Kabul, Afghanistan - Sept 21, 2025 7. SOUNDBITE (Dari) Sayed Qaribullah Sadat, expert on international affairs (partially overlaid with shots 8-9): "It violates all principles of international law and the will of the Afghans. It's one of the most outright lies the United States has told in various ways over the years. It's just a bluff. The U.S. is no longer as powerful as it used to be."; [SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] FILE: Washington D.C., USA - October 2024 8. Various of White House; 9. Various of Capitol building; [SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] FILE: Afghanistan - Date Unknown 10. Cityscape. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]