Trump's North Korea gambit fuels allied doubts over US reliability in Asia
This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.
President Donald Trump's decision to scale back military drills with South Korea has deepened doubts among Asian allies about U.S. security commitments. Japan, Taiwan, and India are reassessing their reliance on Washington amid upcoming security talks and a Trump-Xi summit. The move comes as Pyongyang fired ballistic missiles and the U.S. cancelled another exercise with Seoul.
Key Facts
- Trump scaled back military drills with South Korea last week, describing them as hostile to Pyongyang.
- The United States cancelled another military exercise with South Korea scheduled for next month, Seoul said on Monday.
- Pyongyang fired a volley of ballistic missiles off its east coast on Thursday, triggering alerts in South Korea and Japan.
- Japan is bracing for possible sharp U.S. demands to increase host-nation support for American forces, a senior Japanese official said.
- Trump is eager to restart talks with North Korea to secure a diplomatic win amid his unpopular conflict with Iran, a person briefed on discussions said.
Allied Reassessment
Government officials and security experts say Trump's unpredictability could strain alliances that have long maintained peace in the region. Japan worries it could find itself in Trump's cross-hairs during thorny security negotiations over host-nation support costs. Taiwan is warily watching an upcoming summit between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. India is growing less certain of its place in Washington's strategic calculus.
Tokyo's Concerns
Former Japanese defence minister Itsunori Onodera said Trump's push to meet Kim could backfire and embolden nuclear-armed North Korea. Onodera called such a prospect "extremely troubling" for Tokyo on a Fuji TV programme last Thursday. A senior Japanese government official said Japan is bracing for the possibility that Trump could demand a sharp hike in host-nation support with little warning. The official requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.
Pyongyang's Response
Despite Trump's overtures, Pyongyang fired a volley of ballistic missiles off its east coast on Thursday. The launches triggered alerts in neighbouring South Korea and Japan. Trump's push to meet Kim has so far drawn a frosty response from Pyongyang.
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Trump's North Korea gambit fuels allied doubts over US reliability in Asia
