U.S. and Korea-focused analysts say President Donald Trump appears to view the planned transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) to South Korea as a potential route to reduce or withdraw American troops from the Korean Peninsula. Speaking in online or reported discussions in Washington, experts frame OPCON transition as a lever Trump could use as commander in chief, even if existing legal requirements set limits on U.S. force levels.
The outlets align on the core claim that Trump’s thinking connects OPCON to troop posture changes. Korea Times attributes the remarks to Victor Cha of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and notes that, even if Congress requires a minimum U.S. troop presence through the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Trump could still pursue ways to lower the U.S. military footprint. Yonhap presents the same overall assessment, emphasizing that the idea is a potential path to withdrawal without adding distinct details beyond the shared expert framing.
