The Transactional Tango: Unpacking Trump's Latest Moves in Asia The recent developments in US South Korea relations have left many wondering if Donald Trump is abandoning his Asian allies or merely playing a high stakes game of chicken.
Trump's decision to scale back joint military exercises with South Korea appears to be a betrayal of America's closest ally in the region, but it may also be a calculated move to extract concessions from Seoul and put pressure on the new government of President Lee Jae myung.
The timing of Trump's announcement is telling. Just as South Korean Industry Minister Kim Jung kwan was negotiating a $490 billion trade deal with the US in Dallas, Trump dropped his bombshell via social media.