Sebastian Gorka, former deputy White House counselor and strategist. /AP Yonhap News
Sebastian Gorka (54), former White House deputy advisor and strategist, said in a telephone interview with this newspaper on the 22nd: “It makes no sense to say that former President Donald Trump will return to power and reduce the number of US troops stationed in Korea.” He added: “If tensions increase on the Korean Peninsula, the United States “Just as we shed blood for Korea’s freedom 70 years ago, we will help Korea again,” he said. “Korea is a successful country, but not we should expect the United States to do everything,” he said. “The general perception of the Trump camp is that, compared to NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), we are sharing the burdens equally.” He said: “Trump he is not an isolationist. He also said, “Get rid of excessive fear.”
Goka is one of the representative ideologues and spokespersons of the American conservative camp, along with Stephen Bannon, a former White House strategist during Trump’s first term, and Tucker Carlson, a Fox News personality. In 2017, shortly after the inauguration of the Trump administration, he worked as a deputy presidential assistant and strategist in the White House. He is also a close associate, as Trump called at a recent event at his home in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, “the person who has been most loyal to me over the last eight years.” Trump has appeared seven times until recently on “America First,” a podcast hosted by Goka since 2019. He said: “I have met and spoken with Trump several times over the past few months.” Below is a question and answer.
◇ “Korea is sharing its burdens more equitably than NATO members.”
Sebastian Gorka, former White House deputy adviser and strategist, will have a telephone interview with this newspaper on the 22nd. /Washington = correspondent Kim Eun-joong
– Trump emphasizes the “fair sharing” of alliances. There seems to be a lot of dissatisfaction with defense spending, trade deficit, etc.
“For the last 40-50 years, the so-called American ‘elite’ have not worked for the benefit of American workers. The sense of betrayal is manifesting itself in the enthusiasm for “America First,” championed by Trump. We believe our allies can do more than they do now. Korea is a successful country and should not expect the United States to do everything. However, Korea appears to have a much better attitude than NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) member countries when it comes to sharing defense costs.”
– There are significant concerns about the uncertainty if Trump returns to power.
“This question is asked to me countless times in Asia and Europe, and each time I am surprised by the ‘ignorance’. They talk as if no one lived there during the Trump administration, but it was the only time during Trump’s term that no new wars were waged. The United States did not withdraw from NATO, but rather forced a third of member countries to finally comply with NATO commitments by paying their share of defense costs. I was in Singapore during the US-North Korea summit. The world was safer then. President Joe Biden came to power and surrendered in Afghanistan, Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine, and Chinese fleets and fighter planes are acting in a threatening manner. “All the talk about so-called ‘uncertainty’ is nothing more than scaremongering on the part of Biden and the left wing who don’t want Trump to be re-elected.”
– How do Trump and the people around him perceive Korea?
“South Korea is an important country to confront the evil regime of North Korea, but frankly, the defense of the Korean Peninsula is not the United States’ top priority right now. For the United States, it is more urgent to end the war in Ukraine and the Middle East, check China’s military rise, and resolve the illegal immigration problem occurring at the border. South Korea appears to be well aware of its communist enemy and is recommended to invest more in intelligence capabilities and electronic warfare. “With a small amount of money, we can create a ‘game changer’ for the Korean Peninsula.” (When asked whether he would request Korean intervention in the event of an emergency in the Taiwan Strait, he said: “I’ll just say that the Indo-Pacific will be much safer if Trump takes office.”)
◇ “Trump is not an isolationist… “There will be no withdrawal of American troops from Korea.”
Former President Donald Trump speaks to reporters outside the Manhattan Courthouse in New York on the 23rd. /AP Yonhap News
– There has been considerable disagreement within the Republican Party regarding support for Ukraine. Will the “second Trump administration” support Korea in case of an emergency on the Korean Peninsula?
“When the Korean War broke out in 1950, American soldiers went, shed their blood and sacrificed their lives. It’s been this way for the last 70 years, so I want to ask, “Why should we stop?” Many people are curious about Trump’s foreign and security policy. He will quote the Marine Corps adage: “There is no better friend, there is no worse enemy.” This means that there will be endless support for allies, but there will be no mercy against enemies (like North Korea). “If Trump returns, South Korea will be safer and North Korea will be afraid.”
– Some have suggested that Trump might consider withdrawing or reducing US troops stationed in Korea.
“No one around Trump talks about it seriously. Who says these things? Name it. These people are just part of the conservative camp and have no influence within the Republican Party. Arguably, they have no place in the second Trump administration. “America First” never means America will be alone. And more importantly, Trump is not an isolationist. This must be well understood.” (The size of U.S. troops stationed in Korea is set at 28,500 by the U.S. National Defense Authorization Act, but withdrawal requires congressional approval.)
– Will Trump meet Kim Jong-un again?
“Of course he will. We will meet Kim Jong-un and try to make him understand that “we must not threaten South Korea and that the restoration of American leadership is beneficial to North Korea.” “If Trump comes to power, anything is possible (including the complete denuclearization of North Korea).”
-What is the most disappointing aspect of Trump’s first term and what is the main task to be pursued during Trump’s second term?
“The most important thing is to restore American leadership and stabilize the international situation. Looking back at the first term, there were several officials in the White House who opposed the “America First” agenda. Chief of Staff John Kelly, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley and others sabotaged the president almost every day.” (Aware of this problem, the conservative camp has been planning for several years to train thousands or tens of thousands of government officials in preparation for Trump’s return to power, led by think tanks like the Heritage Foundation and the Conservative Partnership Institute.)
#단독 #deputy #White #House #assistant #Trump #takes #office #troops #Korea #withdrawn #sense
