U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that the reduction of U.S. troops stationed abroad, including those in South Korea, could be linked to defense cost-sharing. He also expressed his intention to bundle defense cost issues with trade negotiations as a 'package deal.'
After holding a signing ceremony for an executive order in the Oval Office on the 9th (local time), President Trump met with reporters and, in response to a question about plans to reduce U.S. troops stationed in Europe or overseas, answered, "It depends."
He continued, "We are incurring a lot of expense for U.S. troops in Europe but are not receiving adequate compensation. The same goes for Korea," referring to the equity issue of defense cost-sharing.
President Trump stated, "This issue is not related to trade, but (in negotiations) we will include it as part of trade," emphasizing that "bundling issues for each country into a single package is much more rational and efficient."
This is interpreted as a reaffirmation of his willingness to coordinate defense cost-sharing, trade, and diplomatic and security issues integrally within a single 'big deal' negotiation framework.