Fact-check · Aug 17, 2026 · Donald Trump
“I asked for $10,000,000,000 And they were very unhappy”
MISLEADING
What the record shows
Trump demanded $5 billion during 2019 negotiations; South Korea agreed to $925 million. The $10 billion figure is a hypothetical from his 2024 campaign, not a formal first-term request.
Sources
- Trump suggests $10 billion price tag for US troops in South Korea – Radio Free Asia
- Amid Trump's tariffs, pressure grows on Seoul to shoulder more defense costs - The Korea Herald
- Trump says S. Korea should pay for its own defense - The Korea Herald
- Trump wants a 'one-stop shopping' deal with South Korea on trade and defense, but there is a cost
- rok 241016 rfa01
- U.S. reportedly asks S. Korea to pay US$ 1.3 bil in defense cost sharing
From: President Trump Greets Lifeguard Ryder Williams
Vote Unbiased checks what officials say against government data — BLS, BEA, Census, Treasury, the Fed — with sources cited. Every speaker, every party, same standard. See the data →