Trump Pressures Japan Over Defense Spending

Apr 12, 2025 | News On Japan

WASHINGTON DC, Apr 12, 2025 (News On Japan) - U.S. President Donald Trump has voiced frustration over the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, stating that Japan has no obligation to defend the United States, and hinted at the possibility of demanding increased defense spending during trade negotiations with Tokyo.

Speaking to reporters at the White House on Thursday, Trump remarked, "We defend them, but they don't have to defend us," highlighting what he sees as an imbalance in the bilateral agreement.

He suggested that past administrations allowed other nations to take advantage of the United States, although he added, "We get along great" in reference to Japan. Nonetheless, he expressed dissatisfaction with the terms of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, stating, "We pay hundreds of billions of dollars to defend them," and added, "They don't pay anything."

Trump called the agreement "just one out of thousands" of flawed deals, and questioned the motivations of those who negotiated them, saying, "I just wonder who did this," and implying they were either indifferent or hostile toward the U.S.

The former president has repeatedly labeled the treaty as "unfair," a stance he often voiced during his first term and has continued to express in recent months.

Source: FNN

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