Trump’s back: East Asian allies must adapt to the MAGA world

When Donald Trump secured his return to the White House – not only in the state-by-state Electoral College count but also, if narrowly, in the popular vote count – America’s East Asian allies were rattled not merely by the outcome itself but by the portended seismic shifts ahead. Having experienced the whirlwind of Trump’s first tenure, Japan and South Korea knew all too well the changes his second term would bring.

Their concerns are rightly placed. The president-elect’s past and recent remarks hint at a more assertive and unpredictable approach to the region than he took in his first term.

In an October interview, Trump described South Korea as a “money machine,” asserting, “We saved them during the Korean War and protected them for decades, but we got nothing in return.” Trump was alluding to the fact that Seoul should bear a significantly larger portion of its own defense burden. In May, Time magazine reported that Trump suggested the US might withdraw its troops from South Korea if the country should fail to provide more support for those troops’ mission.

South Korea is not alone. During his first term, Trump often accused Japan of free-riding on American security guarantees, insisting that Tokyo pay more for the US bases in Japan that host some 54,000 US troops. In an interview in 2019, Trump grumbled over the lack of reciprocity in the bilateral relationship, saying, “If Japan is attacked, we will fight World War III…. But if we are attacked, Japan doesn’t have to help us at all.” It’s also been reported that Trump at one point mused over pulling out of the post-war defense treaty with Japan.

Beyond the security realm, Trump has openly proposed slapping tariffs of between 10% and 20% on most imports (even from