President Donald Trump repeated a series of inaccurate statements about the United States’ cost‑sharing arrangement with South Korea during a recent remarks. The claims, which included that South Korea did not pay for U.S. troops before his administration, that a $3 billion annual payment was secured, and that President Joe Biden immediately rescinded the deal, have been debunked by Pentagon data and the history of the Special Measures Agreements.

Background on the cost‑sharing agreement

South Korea has been contributing to the cost of the U.S. military presence for decades. The first Special Measures Agreement (SMA) was signed in 1991, establishing a framework for shared expenses. Under the five‑year SMA negotiated by the Obama administration and signed in 2017, South Korea agreed to pay more than $800 million per year from 2014 through 2018.

Trump’s specific assertions

In his recent speech, Trump said:

• South Korea “essentially didn’t pay” for U.S. forces before his presidency.
• During his first term the country agreed to pay “close to $3 billion a year.”
• The $3 billion figure would increase each subsequent year.
• The 2020 election was “rigged,” and after Biden took office South Korea convinced the new president that Trump was “probably a bad person,” leading Biden to rescind the agreement.

What the record shows

The Pentagon reports that as of the end of March, roughly 26,589 U.S. service members were stationed in South Korea—not the 39,000 figure cited by the president.

Regarding the $3 billion claim, the 2019 SMA negotiated by the Trump administration increased South Korea’s contribution by 8.2%, bringing the total to less than $1 billion—not $3 billion. The agreement was a one‑year deal that expired at the end of 2019. Negotiations for a longer‑term arrangement stalled, and no multi‑year increase was secured before the Biden administration took office.

In 2020, South Korea did agree to a $200 million payment to cover salaries for South Korean employees of U.S. forces after the 2019 SMA lapsed, but this was far short of the $3 billion figure presented.

When President Biden assumed office in January 2021, the 2019 SMA was already expired. His administration signed two new SMAs—in 2021 and 2024—each providing modest increases tied to South Korea’s defense budget and inflation, bringing annual contributions to roughly $1 billion. No rescission of a Trump‑era agreement occurred.

Election claim

Trump also repeated the false assertion that the 2020 election was rigged. Official certification and multiple court rulings confirmed that President Joe Biden won the election fairly.

Conclusion

The statements made by President Trump about South Korea’s financial obligations and the alleged reversal by President Biden are not supported by the factual record. The cost‑sharing agreements have evolved over time, but the numbers and narrative presented in the recent remarks are inaccurate.

Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.