On Thursday, the US, Japan, and South Korea carried out a complex, trilateral naval exercise in East Asia, the last joint drill before President Joe Biden hands over one of his signature security initiatives to Donald Trump. The Freedom Edge exercise, led by the USS “George Washington” carrier and its fighter jets, took place south of the Korean peninsula and west of Japan, marking the culmination of a trilateral security pact forged by Biden in 2023, in which South Korea and Japan committed to cooperation with the US, setting aside past animosities.
The exercises, which could continue next year, leave Trump’s administration with a critical decision on the future of East Asia’s security framework. While Trump and his incoming Defense Secretary nominee, China hawk Pete Hegseth, have yet to detail their approach, allies hope for continued support for trilateralism. However, experts warn that Trump may not adopt it seamlessly. Jeffrey Hornung, a Japanese security policy expert at the Rand Corporation, noted, “The value of trilateralism will need to be sold to him, not just grandfathered in.”
In his first term, Trump pressed Japan and South Korea to increase funding for US forces stationed in their countries. This strategic deployment includes US naval ships and amphibious units that could defend Taiwan against potential Chinese aggression.
During a recent meeting, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, alongside his Japanese and South Korean counterparts, expressed concern over growing Russia-North Korea ties, including North Korea’s troop support for Russia in Ukraine.
As Biden departs office in January, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol will be the sole remaining leader from the 2023 Camp David summit, where Biden, Yoon, and then-Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged tighter cooperation in response to East Asian tensions involving China, Russia, and North Korea. Kishida resigned in September amid a domestic scandal.
US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel, addressing those aboard the USS *George Washington*, emphasized the pact’s strength as a clear message to China. Japanese Rear Admiral Takashi Matsui and South Korean Rear Admiral Hur Sung-jae, who led their countries’ forces in the exercise, also highlighted its deterrent effect against North Korea, which recently tested an upgraded intercontinental ballistic missile.
