A major shift in U.S. troop posture in Korea was looming when reports surfaced that a former American president considered a full withdrawal of forces from the peninsula. According to a well-known Korean daily, this possibility was brought to light by former U.S. secretary of state Mike Pompeo, who reportedly argued against such a move. The publication frames Pompeo’s remarks as part of his broader recounting of recent events. (Source attribution: Hankyoreh)
Details cited by the outlet suggest Pompeo’s comments appear in the book The Holy Vow by former U.S. secretary of defense Mark Esper, which had just been released. The narrative in Esper’s memoirs includes accounts of multiple conversations in which Trump urged a rapid pullout of troops and discussed the sharing of defense costs, while also describing tensions with Korea over the costs of defense. (Source attribution: Hankyoreh)
Esper reportedly portrays the incumbent administration as viewing the U.S. military presence in Korea as a critical element of national security policy. He describes his efforts to deter the president from pursuing a withdrawal in order to maintain alliance commitments and regional stability on the Korean Peninsula. (Source attribution: Hankyoreh)
The memoir also includes Pompeo’s assertion that Trump anticipated a complete withdrawal during a hypothetical second term, a scenario that would have unfolded had the former president won reelection. In reality, Trump ultimately fell to Joe Biden in the election, ending those projections in the immediate term. (Source attribution: Hankyoreh)
Beyond Korea, the discourse notes that during his tenure Trump repeatedly pressed national security aides and White House colleagues about various intelligence concerns, including reports of China possessing advanced or secret technologies. (Source attribution: Hankyoreh)
Among the themes reportedly discussed were China’s potential capabilities to influence weather through artificial means, such as creating artificial hurricanes. The conversations explored whether such actions would be interpreted as aggression by Beijing and how Washington would respond should this scenario emerge—ranging from diplomatic measures to potential military options. (Source attribution: Hankyoreh)