▲ Mark Esper, then Secretary of Defense
Testimonies have emerged that former US President Donald Trump insisted on the complete withdrawal of US troops from Korea several times during his tenure, and that he did not give up on this idea until the end despite opposition from those around him.
Then Defense Secretary Mark Esper said that one of the reasons for his tenure as secretary was to prevent former President Trump from withdrawing US troops from Korea.
Former Secretary Esper described the situation in his memoir A Sacred Oath and in an interview with the Washington Post.
According to the report, former President Trump has repeatedly threatened to issue an order to withdraw 28,500 US troops from South Korea while disparaging South Korea, a key US ally.
Esper and other high-ranking officials have tried to persuade or delay Trump, and no actual withdrawal order has been issued, but Trump did not give up the idea until the very end, the Post said.
Former President Trump said, "They (Korea) sell us Samsung TVs, and we protect them. That's not right," he said. “He also criticized.
Former Secretary of State Esper persuaded Trump to refer to the complete withdrawal of U.S. forces from South Korea several times during his 15-month tenure as secretary, not only with disastrous consequences, including loss of deterrence against North Korea, but also convincing China that its efforts to drive U.S. troops out of Asia would be welcome.
He also introduced an anecdote that when then Secretary of State Mike Pompeo suggested to former President Trump, "Withdrawal of US forces from Korea should be a priority for your second term," and Trump smiled, saying, "Yes, that's right, a second term."
During his presidency, former President Trump expressed his hopes of withdrawing US troops from Africa, saying that not only South Korea but other allies would 'free ride' to the US on security issues, and actually announced a reduction in the number of US troops stationed in Germany.
Former Secretary Esper said that during his tenure, he was determined to prevent the withdrawal of US forces from Korea. He even said it was out of concern.
Former Secretary of State Esper told The Post that former President Trump has criticized him as unfit to be the supreme commander of the military.
Elected leaders, especially the president of the United States, should embody the basic qualities of putting the country ahead of themselves and must have principles and integrity, but former President Trump did not have those requirements.
Former Secretary of State Esper also confirmed directly that former President Trump reversed the tentative settlement of the defense cost-sharing negotiations between the US and South Korea in March 2020.
He said that a negotiating team led by the State Department reached a tentative agreement on the 13% increase and reported it to the White House, but former President Trump rejected it within 11 hours.
At the time, former President Trump insisted on a 400% increase, and former Secretary Esper thought it was good to start with a 50% increase, but 13% said it was difficult for Pompeo or himself to find a reasonable solution.
Former Secretary of State Esper said he was pleased with the conclusion of the defense cost-sharing deal after Joe Biden took office, but expressed his view that the United States should continue to ask South Korea to increase its share.
(Photo = Getty Images Korea)