Trump Aide Confirming US 'America First' Policy Says "Close Discussions" on South Korea's Nuclear Armament

Elbridge Colby, Robert O'Brien, etc.
Cited as Candidates for Trump's Second-Term National Security Advisor

Elbridge Colby, former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy and Force Development, reiterated former President Donald Trump's America First foreign policy stance on the 15th (local time). He is considered a potential candidate for National Security Advisor if Trump begins a second term.

At an event hosted by the Heritage Foundation think tank that day, former Deputy Assistant Secretary Colby said, "South Korea prioritizes its own interests, and India and Poland also prioritize their own interests," adding, "So why should we (the U.S.) be different?" He continued, "That does not mean the U.S. intends to become unnecessarily mean or aggressive," and said, "Alliances are important to the U.S. as well."

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

He voiced criticism of the Biden administration's foreign policy. He emphasized, "Foreign policy should not become a religion," and stated, "Agreements with foreign governments must be sensible and mutually beneficial in the long term." He added, "Kim Jong-un's North Korea is more dangerous than ever, and there is also a possibility of escalation in the Middle East and Europe," and criticized, "The Biden administration talks well but fails to deliver results."

He expressed serious caution regarding China. He said, "China's GDP is ten times that of Russia," and expressed concern that "If China dominates Asia, it will control more than half of the global economy." He also suggested the need to maintain strength for decisive moments with China and hinted at the necessity of redeploying U.S. troops stationed overseas.

When asked about the defense capabilities of alliances in the Indo-Pacific region, he said, "South Korea and India are models," and evaluated, "South Korea spends 2.7 to 2.8% of its GDP on defense," adding, "It has a remarkable defense industry and takes defense very seriously." Regarding Taiwan, he diagnosed, "Its defense budget is below 3%, which is almost a joke," and said, "The threat from China is more than 1,500 times greater than that from North Korea."

Robert O'Brien, former White House National Security Advisor and a key foreign and security aide during Trump's first term, also voiced the need for NATO member countries to increase their defense spending. In a discussion hosted by CNN and Politico that day, O'Brien said, "We have protected Europe from the Soviet Union for decades," and argued, "Europeans must pay their fair share."

After the discussion, when meeting with the Korean press corps, former Advisor O'Brien commented on South Korea's independent nuclear capabilities, such as nuclear-powered submarines, saying, "South Korea is a member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)," and added, "This is an issue that the South Korean and U.S. governments need to discuss closely."