Hassan, Coons urge President Trump to drop plan to reduce level of U.S. troops in South Korea
U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan
WASHINGTON – Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Chris Coons (D-DE) today wrote a letter to President Trump, urging him to drop plans to reduce the level of U.S. troops based in South Korea, following reports that the administration is considering a potential withdrawal. The Senators raised concerns that any large scale troop reduction would harm American security, while strengthening the interests of North Korea, China, and Russia.
“American service members stationed in South Korea play a vital role in keeping our country safe from North Korean aggression, an assertive China, and Russia,” the Senators wrote. “A potential reduction in troop levels would hurt our national security interests and signal to our allies that the United States can no longer be counted on to help promote and maintain stability in the Indo-Pacific region.”
Hassan and Coons noted that the United States’ alliance with South Korea has been long-standing and mutually beneficial. South Korea has contributed troops to every war in which American soldiers fought since the Korean conflict and most recently sent 700,000 test kits to the United States to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last year, Senator Hassan, a member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, and Senator Coons, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, visited South Korea, where they met with senior officials to reaffirm the U.S.-South Korea alliance and discuss ways to advance shared interests and values.