New Book Claims That President Trump Wants South Korea to Pay More for US-ROK Alliance Upkeep
We all know that President Trump wants South Korea to pay more for the US-ROK alliance upkeep. This is nothing new, however this guy needs to sell a book which of course means coming up with a quote that make Trump look crazy. When are people going to learn not to take President Trump’s outbursts literally as he wanting $60 billion a year from South Korea. From the quote, I read it as he wants South Korea to pay much more for US-ROK alliance upkeep fees and just threw out a big number to make his point:
U.S. President Donald Trump called South Korea a “major abuser” and claimed the U.S. ally should pay US$60 billion a year for the stationing of American troops in the country, according to a memoir published Tuesday.
Guy Snodgrass, former chief speechwriter and communications director to former U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis, made the revelation in his new book, “Holding the Line: Inside Trump’s Pentagon with Secretary Mattis,” as he recounted two meetings between Trump and his national security team at the Pentagon in July 2017 and January 2018.
According to Snodgrass, Trump repeatedly questioned the value of stationing U.S. troops overseas and asked top officials, including then-Defense Secretary Mattis and then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, whether the troops could be withdrawn from countries such as South Korea, Japan and Germany.
“It’s a losing deal!” Trump was quoted as saying in January 2018. “If (South Korea) paid us $60 billion a year to keep our troops overseas, then it’s an okay deal.”
Yonhap
You can read more at the link.
I’ve heard this argument so many times over the years; the South Korean’s don’t pay their fair share of the cost burden to station US Troops overseas. If we brought them back, along with all their families and the support tail that goes along with that, where would they go? I’m just curious. Most US Army posts don’t have the infrastructure to accommodate all the Troops from overseas. I think this argument is all nonsense.
@Guest
Reduction In Force.
Try to find places for them in the civilian economy that pays full living wages.
JoeC, with 3.5% unemployment, people with a willingness to work won’t have trouble finding a job, unless they get picky.
Heck, even I found a job…