Trump Pulls 1 Last Asia Carrier, Cuts South Korea Drills as Iran War Drains U.S.
Updated
Updated · Salon · Aug 21
Trump Pulls 1 Last Asia Carrier, Cuts South Korea Drills as Iran War Drains U.S.
3 articles · Updated · Salon · Aug 21
Summary
The USS George Washington is being withdrawn from the western Pacific to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln, ending the U.S. Navy’s last aircraft-carrier presence in Asia while Lincoln remains deployed off Iran after more than 260 days.
Trump also ordered joint military exercises with South Korea to be substantially reduced after Seoul declined to support U.S. military action against Iran, according to his public remarks.
Seoul appeared caught off guard, while Trump paired the move with praise for his “very good relationship” with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, adding to uncertainty on the Korean Peninsula.
China is moving to exploit that opening: Foreign Minister Wang Yi is set to meet South Korean President Lee Jae Myung as analysts say Beijing can use the gap to expand diplomatic influence.
The shift underscores how the Iran war is stretching U.S. forces beyond the Middle East, raising wider concerns about deterrence in Asia and the risks of a shrinking American security footprint.