Thursday, August 20, 2026

Trump's Split from South Korea Will Damage His Allies. This Is Why

August 19, 2026 | Donald Trump is threatening to scale back US military commitments in South Korea - at the risk of wider instability across Asia.

At the same time, the US president reaffirmed his “good relationship” with North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un. So, why is Washington apparently willing to change its approach to diplomacy and security in the region?

In this episode of This Is Why, Niall Paterson is joined by Professor Ramon Pacheco Pardo to examine the shifting balance of power on the Korean Peninsula and what a reduced US military presence could mean for their allies across the Asia-Pacific.