‘Two-thirds in favor’ included in the National Defense Authorization Bill
Retention of 28,000 US troops stationed in Korea confirmed
Amid concerns that former U.S. President Donald Trump may seek to withdraw from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) if he returns to power, the U.S. House of Representatives on the 14th (local time) passed a bill to prevent the incumbent president from arbitrarily withdrawing from NATO. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2024 was passed. Since the Senate passed the same bill a day ago, it will be finalized when President Joe Biden signs it.
The rule that puts a brake on the president’s withdrawal from NATO is something that has been bipartisanly requested by the ruling Democratic Senator Tim Kaine and the opposition Republican Senator Marco Rubio. They argued that in order to withdraw from NATO, the consent of more than two-thirds of the 100 seats in the Senate must be obtained, and that if a specific president forces withdrawal from NATO without congressional approval, the use of budget for this purpose should be prohibited.
The reason the two parties came together to pass this bill was to alleviate security concerns caused by Trump. During his time in office, former President Trump often mentioned withdrawal from NATO, worsening the relationship between the United States and its allies, and further heightening the security threat to the United States. He said that the difficulties of the United States are aggravated by major NATO countries such as Germany paying a small contribution compared to their economic power, and pressed them to “spend at least 2.0% of the gross domestic product (GDP) as a defense budget, including NATO.” In 2018, he claimed in Brussels, Belgium, where NATO is headquartered, that “I could decide to withdraw from NATO without the approval of Congress.”
The passed National Defense Authorization Act confirmed that the number of US troops stationed in Korea will be maintained at the current level of 28,000. It also included a plan to strengthen the ROK-US alliance by deepening cooperation in deterring North Korea’s nuclear weapons in accordance with the ‘Washington Declaration’ agreed upon by the leaders of the ROK and the US in April this year. During his time in office, former President Trump also mentioned the possibility of withdrawing U.S. troops from Korea as a reason to ease the burden of defense spending.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.