Trump includes US troop costs in tariff talks with Asian allies

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Reuters

April 17, 2025 5:12 AM EDT Updated 8 hours ago


SEOUL/TOKYO, April 17 (Reuters) - The tens of thousands of U.S. troops stationed in South Korea and Japan appear set to be part of President Donald Trump's tariff negotiations, despite efforts by both countries to separate security talks from trade. In posts on the Truth Social platform, Trump said defence cost-sharing would be part of "one-stop shopping" negotiations with Seoul, and raised the issue of the defence burden during a visit by Japanese officials to Washington this week.

Japan hosts about 50,000 U.S. troops and South Korea 28,500. Both nations rely on the U.S. nuclear umbrella for protection against China, Russia and North Korea, and are seen as crucial for the U.S. military's ability to project power and influence around the region. Trump has previously suggested he could withdraw the U.S. forces if the countries don't pay up, and during his first term, demanded billions of dollars more.

On Wednesday, South Korea's first vice foreign minister Kim Hong-kyun told parliament that while Washington had not formally proposed renegotiating their Special Measures Agreement (SMA) under which South Korea supports U.S. troops stationed there, Seoul is preparing for various scenarios.

Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok said this week that cost sharing is not up for review. Tokyo views the issue of defence spending as separate from tariffs, a Japanese government official told Reuters. "These originally are separate issues," the official said, suggesting defence costs should not be part of the tariff negotiations.
The Pentagon and the State Department referred questions to the White House, which did not respond.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/trump-includes-us-troop-costs-tariff-talks-with-asian-allies-2025-04-17/

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The WW2 agreement basically forbid the "Axis" powers from any offensive war-making machinery. That post-WW2 thing is a whole other issue that deserves its own dedicated negotiation and it has to be global.

[wolfie001]

1. Always threats from this smelly mf'er

Larded up his military command with bootlickers and political lackeys. Just great.

[quakerboy]

2. Ive always wondered why this was not part of the discussion

But primarily with US oil companies. We have fought several costly wars with, as far as i can tell, the primary intent being to manipulate the energy market to advantage certain companies. We put soldiers lives on the line for this in several countries. So why arent those companies being asked to bear the costs rather than US taxpayers?

[Bayard]

3. More of Mafia Don demanding tribute

Extortion.

[Buddyzbuddy]

4. It's to our mutual benefit to have bases strategically located throughout the world.

We should be grateful to our host countries. But this isn't about the money, this is about weakening our defense strategy to benefit the Felon's master.
It's just a convenient excuse.