Trump’s renewed outreach to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is raising concerns among US allies across Asia, with Japan, Taiwan and India reassessing how reliably Washington can support their security interests.
The concerns intensified after US President Donald Trump moved to reduce military exercises with South Korea, describing the drills as hostile to Pyongyang. Security officials and analysts say the decision could deepen uncertainty over long-standing US defence commitments in the region.
Jeremy Chan, a senior analyst at Eurasia Group and a former US diplomat in Japan and China, said the decision could fuel growing doubts about Washington’s security commitments.
The White House has maintained that the United States remains committed to working with Seoul. However, a White House official said Trump had become frustrated by allies’ limited support for the US war with Iran and expected partners to contribute more towards their own defence.
Against that backdrop, Trump is seeking to revive talks with North Korea and secure a diplomatic achievement, according to a person briefed on discussions between US and South Korean officials.
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Japan voices concern over North Korea policy
Trump’s efforts to meet Kim have so far received a cold response from Pyongyang. Japan, meanwhile, fears that renewed engagement could strengthen North Korea’s position without securing meaningful concessions on its nuclear and missile programmes.
Itsunori Onodera, a prominent Japanese lawmaker and former defence minister, described the prospect as “extremely troubling” for Tokyo.
North Korea also fired several ballistic missiles off its east coast, triggering alerts in South Korea and Japan, as Trump renewed his efforts to engage Kim.
Japan’s concerns extend beyond North Korea. Tokyo is preparing for negotiations with Washington over the cost of hosting US forces, and Japanese officials fear Trump could unexpectedly demand a substantial increase in its contribution.
Analysts also believe Washington could use planned military exercises with Japan as leverage. Officials in both countries do not currently expect the October Keen Sword exercises to be cancelled, although they acknowledge that Trump could alter the plans.
The exercises could already be smaller than the 2024 edition because US military resources have shifted towards the conflict with Iran.
US military presence raises questions
The diversion of American military assets has also raised concerns about US deterrence against China.
The USS George Washington, the only US aircraft carrier permanently deployed forward in Asia, recently moved towards the Middle East to support the USS Abraham Lincoln.
During a visit to Asia this month, Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby said Washington remained focused on maintaining combat readiness with allies along the first island chain stretching from Japan through the Philippines.
Nevertheless, the movement of US forces has prompted questions about whether Washington can maintain sufficient military capacity in Asia while managing conflicts elsewhere.
Taiwan watches Trump-Xi summit
Taiwan faces particular uncertainty as China continues to increase military pressure around the self-governing island, which Beijing claims as its territory.
Trump has delayed approval of a $14 billion package of US arms sales to Taiwan as he seeks to preserve relations with Chinese President Xi Jinping and maintain a fragile trade truce.
With Trump preparing for another summit with Xi in Washington next month, Taiwanese officials expect the administration could divide the proposed arms package into smaller portions to limit tensions with Beijing.
Domingo Yang of Taiwan’s Institute for National Defence and Security Research said there remained a difference between Trump’s rhetoric and US military activity. He pointed to continued intelligence sharing, training and patrols involving Taiwan.
A US Navy aircraft also transited the Taiwan Strait on Friday, which Washington described as demonstrating its commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.
India reassesses its strategic position
Trump’s approach has also unsettled India, where Washington has spent years strengthening defence and strategic ties with New Delhi as a counterweight to Russia and China.
Some analysts have questioned whether India remains as important to Washington after the Pentagon renamed its Asia military headquarters from Indo-Pacific Command to Pacific Command in June. The Pentagon has denied that the change reflects any reduction in India’s strategic importance.
However, tensions have already emerged over US tariffs on Indian exports and Trump’s repeated claims that he helped mediate a ceasefire between India and Pakistan.
Two Indian sources familiar with the issue said New Delhi is now “very, very cautious” about making long-term defence commitments to Washington.
Pearl Pandya, a senior analyst at the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data project, said Trump’s latest decision reinforced perceptions of a transactional approach to foreign policy, warning that disagreements over individual policies could affect broader relationships even among close partners.
As Trump seeks renewed engagement with North Korea while managing tensions with Iran, China and other global powers, Asian allies face growing uncertainty over how Washington will balance its competing security commitments.
