Trump Demands South Korea Pay US$10 Billion for U.S. Troop Presence

President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that South Korea should shoulder far more of the cost of hosting U.S. troops, telling a Cabinet meeting he believes Seoul ought to pay US$10 billion a year for what he called its “free military.” He argued the ally “pays us very little,” adding that he had once secured a US$3 billion increase “with a phone call” before the agreement was “canceled” under President Joe Biden. South Korea currently covers part of the U.S. Forces Korea budget under a long-term Special Measures Agreement. The latest pact, signed last year, sets Seoul’s 2026 contribution at about ₩1.52 trillion (US$1.11 billion) and keeps annual rises tied to inflation. Trump also misstated the American troop presence, putting it at 45,000 personnel; the Pentagon lists roughly 28,500 service members on the peninsula. The remarks extend Trump’s pressure campaign on Seoul a day after he warned that a 25% tariff on South Korean imports will take effect on 1 August unless trade talks yield concessions. Coupling cost-sharing and tariff threats, the White House is signaling it wants faster progress in both security and economic negotiations with the U.S. ally.