Trump Criticizes Japan and South Korea Over Defense Spending

U.S. President Donald Trump has criticized Japan and South Korea for their lack of assistance to U.S. Forces in the conflict with Iran, arguing that these allies should take a more active role in securing the Strait of Hormuz. During a news conference in Washington on April 6, 2026, Trump castigated Tokyo and Seoul, noting that both nations host approximately 75,000 U.S. Troops.

The administration’s pressure focuses on the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz for the energy security of East Asian nations. Trump stated that countries like South Korea and Japan, which rely on the waterway for their oil and gas supplies, should play a greater role in reopening the strategic waterway.

Defense Spending and GDP Targets

The pressure on Japan and South Korea coincides with broader U.S. Efforts to increase defense spending among its allies. This push aligns with a NATO agreement requiring member nations to raise defense spending to 5 percent of GDP by 2035, which includes 3.5 percent in direct military expenditure and 1.5 percent in related costs.

As of 2025, the defense-to-GDP ratios for the involved nations were reported as follows:

• Japan: 1.8 percent
• South Korea: 2.3 percent (approximately 61.2 trillion won or $45.1 billion)
• Germany: 2.4 percent

For comparison, the United States reported a ratio of 3.38 percent of GDP, despite a defense budget of $997 billion in the 2024 fiscal year.

Regional Military and Diplomatic Pressure

Trump has specifically urged South Korea and other allies to send warships to the Hormuz Strait to support U.S. Operations. He has criticized NATO, Japan, South Korea, and Australia for their silence and lack of assistance in the Iran conflict, while praising Gulf allies for their contributions.

In Europe, Germany has responded to growing military threats from Russia by planning to nearly double its defense spending to 152.5 billion euros ($179.7 billion) by 2029. This plan aims to raise Germany’s defense-to-GDP ratio to 3.5 percent within four years, which would be the country’s largest military budget since 1975.

By 2029, German defense expenditures are projected to account for 26.7 percent of all federal government spending, based on an estimated total of 573.8 billion euros.

Global Context and Reactions

The escalation of defense spending and military presence in strategic waterways has drawn criticism from Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that Russia was already spending 6.3 percent of its GDP on defense, though he stated plans to reduce that figure over the next three years.

Putin accused NATO of heightening tensions and questioned who the alliance was preparing to defend against.

The U.S. Administration’s demands for increased contributions from Japan and South Korea reflect a broader strategy of shifting more of the financial and operational burden of regional security to allies who benefit from U.S. Military presence and the protection of global trade routes.