tirsdag 9. september 2025

Trump Korean land grab: from maritime genius to continental folly

The August summit between US President Donald Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung produced little substance. Yet one remark stood out and echoed far beyond the meeting room. Trump mused aloud that the United States should own the land where nearly 28,500 American troops are stationed.

“We spent a lot of money building a fort, and there was a contribution made by South Korea, but I would like to see if we could get rid of the lease and get ownership of the land where we have a massive military base,” he said.

To many Koreans, long wary of US withdrawal, this sounded almost reassuring. It suggested permanence, not abandonment.