Fact-Check: Did South Korea Really Stop Paying for U.S. Troops?

What Happened?

On Monday, President Donald Trump told a story about South Korea and money for U.S. troops. He has told versions of this story before. Every key part of his latest version is false, according to official records and past reporting.

Important Callout
This article breaks down five specific claims Trump made and shows what the actual facts are. We’ll keep it simple—like explaining it to a fifth-grader.

The Story Trump Told (In His Own Words)

Trump said:

1. South Korea “essentially wasn’t paying” for U.S. military protection before he became president.
2. He got them to agree to pay $3 billion a year, with planned increases for the next two years.
3. The 2020 election was “rigged” against him.
4. When Joe Biden became president, South Korea convinced Biden that Trump was “probably a bad person.”
5. Biden “immediately rescinded” Trump’s “order”—so South Korea stopped paying.

The Real Facts: Claim by Claim

Claim 1: “South Korea essentially wasn’t paying before I got there.”

Reality:

• South Korea has shared the cost of U.S. troops since 1991—that’s over 30 years.
• The agreements are called Special Measures Agreements (SMAs).
• Under the last deal before Trump (signed by the Obama administration), South Korea agreed to pay more than $800 million per year from 2014–2018.
• Bottom line: They were already paying hundreds of millions a year—not “essentially nothing.”

Claim 2: “We agreed on $3 billion a year, with increases the next two years.”

Reality:

• The only deal Trump signed was a one-year agreement for 2019.
• South Korea agreed to an 8.2% increase—bringing their total to less than $1 billion (not $3 billion).
• No multi-year deal was ever reached. Talks for 2020 and beyond stalled because Trump demanded a much bigger jump.
• In mid-2020, they did a smaller side deal ($200 million for Korean workers on U.S. bases), but that was not part of a $3 billion plan.

Claim 3: “The 2020 election was rigged.”

Reality:

• Trump lost the 2020 election fair and square to Joe Biden.
• Courts, election officials, and even Trump’s own attorney general found no evidence of widespread fraud.

Claim 4: “South Korea convinced Biden I was a bad person, so they shouldn’t have to pay.”

Reality:

• No evidence exists that South Korea lobbied Biden using personal insults about Trump.
• The 2019 deal had already expired by the time Biden took office in January 2021.
• There was no “order” for Biden to rescind—the agreement was simply over.

Claim 5: “Biden immediately rescinded Trump’s order.”

Reality:

• Biden did not cancel any Trump deal. The 2019 deal was already dead.
• Instead, Biden’s team negotiated two NEW agreements:
  • 2021 deal (covered 2020–2025): 13.9% increase in 2021 (to ~$1 billion), plus yearly increases tied to South Korea’s defense budget.
  • 2024 deal (covers 2026–2030): 8.3% increase in 2026, then increases tied to Korean inflation.
• Both deals included South Korean spending hikes—just smaller than what Trump wanted.

Quick Summary: What Actually Happened (Numbered Steps)

1. 1991–present: South Korea pays part of the cost for U.S. troops via SMAs.
2. 2014–2018 (Obama era): South Korea pays ~$800M+/year.
3. 2019 (Trump era): One-year deal → ~$920M (8.2% increase). Not $3 billion.
4. 2020: Talks for a multi-year deal fail. Short-term fix: $200M for base workers.
5. Jan 2021: Biden takes office. No Trump deal exists to cancel.
6. March 2021: Biden signs new 5-year deal with 13.9% increase.
7. Oct 2024: Biden signs another deal (2026–2030) with built-in increases.

Bonus Fact: Troop Numbers

Trump also said there are 39,000 U.S. troops in South Korea.

• Pentagon data (March 2026): 26,589 troops.
• That’s about 12,000 fewer than Trump claimed.

Key Takeaways (Bullet Points)

• South Korea has paid for decades—not “started paying under Trump.”
• The highest agreed amount under Trump was < $1 billion/year—not $3 billion.
• No multi-year increases were ever locked in during Trump’s term.
• The 2020 election was not rigged.
• Biden did not cancel a deal—he negotiated two new ones that raised South Korea’s payments.

TL;DR Summary

President Trump’s story about South Korea’s payments is false in every major detail.

• South Korea already paid hundreds of millions a year before Trump.
• Trump never got a $3 billion/year deal—the real figure was under $1 billion.
• No multi-year plan was agreed to.
• The 2020 election was fair.
• Biden didn’t scrap a deal—he made two new ones that increased South Korea’s contributions.

FAQ

Q1: Did South Korea pay anything for U.S. troops before Trump?
A: Yes. They’ve paid since 1991 under formal agreements. By 2018, they were paying over $800 million per year.

Q2: How much did South Korea agree to pay under Trump?
A: In the only signed deal (2019), they paid about $920 million—an 8.2% increase. Not $3 billion.

Q3: Was there a deal for $3 billion with yearly increases?
A: No. Talks for a longer deal collapsed because Trump wanted a much larger jump. No multi-year agreement was ever reached.

Q4: Did Biden cancel Trump’s deal because South Korea complained?
A: No. The 2019 deal had already expired. Biden negotiated two new agreements that raised South Korea’s payments.

Q5: How many U.S. troops are actually in South Korea?
A: As of March 2026, the Pentagon says 26,589—not 39,000.

Sources: CNN reporting, Pentagon workforce data, Congressional Research Service, U.S. Forces Korea press releases, Reuters, New York Times, VOA News, The Diplomat, Korea Herald.