The United States Army will host a massive parade on June 14 to mark its 250th anniversary. Though not intended, it could also be a celebration of America’s retreat from the world stage, part of President Donald Trump’s agenda that calls for the US military to no longer serve as the defenders of democracy around the globe.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that the Trump administration has been exploring whether to move around 4,500 troops from South Korea (about 15 percent) to Guam or other locations in the region. The Pentagon has since responded to those claims.
“Anyone who’s covered the Pentagon knows we always evaluate force posture. That said, the U. S. remains firmly committed to the ROK. Our alliance is ironclad. Reports that the DoD will reduce US troops in the Republic of Korea are not true,” chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell posted on X.
The South Korean Ministry of Defense also denied that it was in talks with Washington over any US troop reduction on the Korean peninsula, which technically remains in a state of war.
United States Forces Korea (USFK) further dismissed the report, writing, “The US remains firmly committed to the defense of the ROK and we look forward to working with the incoming government officials to maintain and strengthen our iron-clad alliance. Reports that the Department of Defense will reduce US troops in the Republic of Korea are untrue.“
The US May Leave Despite South Korea’s Increasing Military Investment
Last year, Seoul and Washington agreed on a five-year deal on defense cost-sharing, but the White House has signaled that costs related to maintaining a military presence in South Korea could be tied to trade talks. South Korean officials have insisted on keeping the issues separate.
Last year, Seoul agreed to increase its contribution to offset the cost of stationing US military personnel in the country. Beginning in 2026, South Korea will raise its contribution by 8.3 percent to 1.52 trillion won ($1.1 billion).
As of the end of last year, there were 26,556 US military personnel stationed in South Korea, where there has been a US presence since the Korean War in the 1950s, and serve as a deterrent to North Korea, which has sought to reunify the peninsula under its control.
The Independent newspaper also reported that the US Secretary of Defense has ordered the Pentagon’s next National Defense Strategy to emphasize ’burden-sharing’ with allies and countering China’s influence. Due by [the end of August], the strategy could include hiking South Korea’s financial contribution for hosting American forces.”
During President Trump’s first term, he called for reducing or withdrawing US military deployments as part of his “America First” approach to foreign policy. Last month, there were reports that senior Pentagon officials had considered a proposal to withdraw as many as 10,000 military personnel from Eastern Europe, part of the more than 20,000 troops deployed to the region under the Biden administration to strengthen the defenses of countries bordering Ukraine.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a thirty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
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