Donald Trump’s transactional approach to alliances is receiving renewed scrutiny thanks to insights from his former national security advisor, Herbert McMaster. In his book Battlegrounds: The Fight to Defend the Free World, McMaster details Trump’s perspective on trade and alliances, illustrating his belief that the U.S. was being exploited by its allies.
McMaster recounts an anecdote from Trump’s visit to South Korea in November 2017. During this trip, Trump expressed frustration that the U.S. was being “taken advantage of” by South Korea. After touring Camp Humphreys, Trump inquired about the base’s costs and learned South Korea had financed $9.8 billion of the $10.8 billion total. Trump questioned why the U.S. was responsible for the remaining amount.
McMaster explained to Trump that South Korea covered the salaries of 8,600 Korean employees who support U.S. troops at Camp Humphreys. Despite this, Trump believed the U.S. should also profit from these arrangements. McMaster recalled that U.S. Forces Korea Commander Vincent Brooks seemed taken aback by this perspective.
Trump’s visit coincided with his push for allies to increase their defense spending, accusing them of “free riding” on U.S. security. McMaster expressed concern about Trump’s stance leading up to the visit, noting that Trump questioned the necessity of the U.S. military presence in Korea, arguing that South Korea could defend itself.
Trump’s discontent extended to his visit to a Samsung semiconductor factory, where he questioned why the U.S. lacked similar manufacturing capabilities. He attributed the decline of American manufacturing and trade imbalances to foreign countries, viewing allies like the European Union, South Korea, and Japan as “suckers” benefiting at America’s expense.
During the visit, Trump repeatedly criticized South Korea, labeling it a “very wealthy country” that benefitted from U.S. security without contributing its fair share. He described the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS) as “the worst trade deal ever.”
McMaster also revealed his frequent disagreements with Trump over trade tensions with allies. He argued that high tariffs on steel and aluminum damaged national security and urged Trump to address the core issues with China, such as overcapacity and waste. To convince Trump, McMaster coined the phrase, “Sir, if we shoot our allies to catch China, China wins.” Despite these arguments, Trump proceeded with high tariffs that affected many allies, including Japan, the EU, and Canada.
Most Commented