U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday reignited criticism of the long-standing U.S.-Japan security treaty, calling it “so one-sided” as Washington and Tokyo prepare to enter negotiations over tariffs.
Speaking from the White House during remarks focused on trade, Trump veered toward defence matters, highlighting what he sees as an imbalance in the military alliance between the two nations.
"We have a deal with Japan... we defend them, but they don't have to defend us. I said, that doesn't sound too good. But we have a deal -- we pay hundreds of billions of dollars to defend them. We pay all the money. They don't pay anything... Who did this?" Trump said.
While this is not the first time Trump criticised the terms of the treaty, which dates back to 1960, the timing of his comments suggests a potential bargaining chip in upcoming trade negotiations with Japan. The president’s administration has been pressing Tokyo on issues related to tariffs and trade imbalances.
During his speech, Trump again framed the U.S. as a victim of global economic exploitation, though he stopped short of targeting China or any specific country on trade issues.
“I just wonder who did this, and it’s people that either hate our country or didn’t care,” he said, referring to the post-war security agreement that obliges the U.S. to defend Japan if it is attacked but does not commit Japan to do the same for America.
Trump has consistently argued that previous administrations have allowed other nations to benefit from U.S. military and economic power without adequate reciprocity, a theme that continues to shape his foreign policy agenda.
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