Trump stokes fear with new demand for allies
WASHINGTON » In private discussions with his aides, President Donald Trump has devised an eye-popping formula to address one of his longstanding complaints: that allies hosting U.S. forces don’t pay Washington enough money.
Under the formula, countries would pay the full cost of stationing American troops on their territory, plus 50 percent more, said U.S. and foreign officials familiar with the idea, which could have allies contributing five times what they provide.
Trump calls the formula “cost plus 50,” and it has struck fear in the hearts of U.S. allies who view it as extortionate.
Rumors that the formula could become a global standard have especially rattled Germany, Japan and South Korea, which host thousands of forces, and U.S. officials have mentioned the demand to at least one country in a formal negotiation setting, said people familiar with the matter.
National Security Council spokesman Garrett Marquis said the Trump administration “is committed to getting the best deal for the American people,” but he would not comment “on any ongoing deliberations regarding specific ideas.”
Trump long has complained that U.S. and NATO allies freeload on U.S. military protection, but the costplus-50 formula has gained traction only in recent months, said current and former U.S. officials, who like others spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive negotiations.
It is not a formal proposal or policy but serves as a kind of “maximum billing” option designed in part to draw attention to an issue that speaks to Trump’s demand that allies shoulder more of the burden of their own defense, a senior administration official said.
One of the first U.S. allies to confront the Trump administration’s hardball tactics was South Korea, which last month agreed to pay $925 million for hosting 28,500 American troops.
That was an 8.2 percent increase from the previous year’s payment and about half the total costs. South Korean officials preferred a five-year agreement, but the deal covers only one, meaning they could face pressure to meet Trump’s cost-plus-50 demand next year.
A U.S. military official said U.S. Forces Korea had been “sweating” the signing of a new agreement for months.
There are numerous burden-sharing ideas floating around, and Trump has not settled on any one, officials said.
Although it may be a red herring, the phrase “cost plus 50” has appeared on informal lists of options, one official said. But it is not clear what Trump advisers mean by “cost,” whether it’s the entire budget to run a base and pay U.S. armed forces or some part of that.
U.S. allies hosting permanent American military installations pay for a portion of costs in various ways. Japan and South Korea make cash contributions, and Germany supports the U.S. troop presence through inkind contributions such as land, infrastructure and construction, in addition to foregone customs duties and taxes.
Trump has called that “in-kind” contribution insufficient, a senior U.S. diplomat said.
For decades, leading foreign policy figures in both parties have urged U.S. allies to take on greater responsibility for their security, but even staunch advocates of burden sharing have questioned Trump’s approach.
“Trump is correct in wanting U.S. allies to bear more responsibility for collective defense, but demanding protection money from them is the wrong way to do it,” said Stephen Walt, a scholar of international relations at Harvard University.
“Our armed forces are not mercenaries, and we shouldn’t send U.S. troops into harm’s way just because another country is paying us.”
The cost-plus-50 idea probably would not be presented as a blanket demand to all allies, even if Trump ended up signing off on it, several people familiar with elements of the discussion said.