Trump seeks cuts to U.S.-South Korea drills

President Donald Trump says he instructed the Pentagon to scale
back joint military ?exercises with South Korea, raising questions
about U.S. commitment to Asian allies

U.S. ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY PERSONNEL IN ASIA-PACIFIC REGION
(approximate numbers as of Mar 31, 2026)

CHINA
RUSSIA
NORTH
KOREA
INDIAN
OCEAN
PACIFIC
OCEAN
2,000km
1,250 miles

JAPAN
54,000
HAWAII (U.S.)
47,000
SOUTH
KOREA
23,300
GUAM
(U.S.)
7,300
AUSTRALIA
2,300*
THAILAND
115
SINGAPORE
270
PHILIPPINES
50

*Includes approximately
2,000 troops deployed
on six-monthly rotation

Trump (right) points to high cost of joint exercises,
SeoulÕs refusal to take part in actions against Iran
and his Òvery good relationshipÓ with North KoreaÕs leader Kim Jong Un

Sources: BBC, Defence Manpower Data Centre, Reuters
Picture: Getty Images
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