2025.08.18

• International Security Order

Beyond a Zero-Sum Approach to U.S.-Japan Defense Burden Sharing(Geoeconomic Briefing)

The Trump administration’s policy of pressing U.S. allies to shoulder more of the defense burden has fueled fears of “abandonment” in Europe and South Korea. In particular, plans to review forward-deployed U.S. forces—ranging from reductions of U.S. troops in Europe and South Korea to a possible restructuring of regional unified commands—have been the subject of considerable speculation. If realized, such moves would likely have a significant impact on the host nations’ security, prompting close attention from governments in those regions.