(Podcast) Trump’s Pressure on the Taliban: From Demanding U.S. Weapons to Concerns Over China’s Influence in Afghanistan

Upon returning to the White House, Donald Trump focused his foreign policy on China, Ukraine, and West Asia, placing Afghanistan lower on his list of priorities. However, he gradually adopted a new approach toward the Taliban by pressuring them to return U.S. military equipment and cutting financial aid. Meanwhile, China’s growing influence in Afghanistan and efforts by various countries to recognize the Taliban have further heightened concerns for the Trump administration.