Senate’s NDAA Passes with No Restrictions on Troops in South Korea—What’s Trump’s Next Move?

The U.S. Senate has passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2025, which maintains the current level of U.S. forces in South Korea.

According to The Washington Times, the Senate approved the NDAA on Wednesday with an overwhelming majority: 85 in favor and 14 against. The bill includes provisions to maintain the approximately 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea and reaffirms the U.S. commitment to extended nuclear deterrence. Additionally, Congress has requested a separate report on advancing trilateral defense cooperation between South Korea, the U.S., and Japan. The 2025 defense budget shows a modest 1% increase from the previous year.

However, this year’s NDAA lacks provisions restricting potential U.S. troop reductions in South Korea. This omission could give President-elect Donald Trump leeway to push for force reductions. The absence of such restrictions marks a departure from previous years when Congress included language prohibiting the use of funds for troop drawdowns in South Korea, a measure implemented during Trump’s first term. Trump has previously hinted at the possibility of withdrawing U.S. forces while demanding increased defense contributions from South Korea.

The NDAA is a crucial legislation that outlines defense spending levels across various categories. Earlier this month, Democrats and Republicans reached a bipartisan agreement on the bill. Following swift approval by the House of Representatives, the Senate’s endorsement sends the legislation to President Joe Biden for his signature, the final step for it to become law.