“Just so you understand with South Korea, look: South Korea has been protected by us for many, many years, and during my first term, they agreed to pay close to $3 billion a year for protection, because we don’t – you know, they essentially weren’t paying.”

Donald Trump · said 2026-08-17 · reported 2026-08-17

Trump claimed South Korea essentially wasn't paying for US protection before his first term, which CNN says is false because cost-sharing agreements date to 1991.