Trump to Designate South Korea a 'Model Ally' in New Defense Strategy

The Trump administration will soon release a new national defense strategy that officially names South Korea a "model ally," according to a senior U.S. official. This formal designation highlights the strength of the military partnership between the two nations. The strategy document praises South Korea for significantly increasing its defense spending. It also commends the country for agreeing to pay more toward the cost of hosting approximately 28,500 U.S. troops on its soil. A senior administration official stated that South Korea sets a standard for other U.S. allies to follow. The "model ally" label is intended to encourage other partner nations to take greater responsibility for shared defense. The new national defense strategy will guide U.S. military policy and alliances. The formal recognition of South Korea underscores the administration's focus on burden-sharing, a key principle of its foreign policy.