Is Trump Changing US Deterrence? Second Korea Drill Cut | P-8A ‘Sub Hunter’ Transits Taiwan Strait

The US is recalibrating its military posture in East Asia, canceling the biennial Ssangyong (Twin Dragons) amphibious exercise with South Korea just days after shortening the Ulchi Freedom Shield drills. While President Donald Trump argues that reducing large-scale exercises could improve relations with North Korea, US officials insist America's military presence in the region remains robust, pointing to continued operations such as a recent P-8A maritime patrol aircraft transit through the Taiwan Strait. At the same time, Taiwan is strengthening its own deterrence, with President Lai Ching-te unveiling a record defense budget and invoking the legacy of the 1958 Taiwan Strait Crisis to argue that "peace through strength" remains the best guarantee of stability. Is Washington reducing its military footprint — or simply adopting a quieter approach to deterrence? In this episode, we examine the changing US strategy toward East Asia, Taiwan's evolving defense posture and what these developments mean for cross-Strait security and the future of the Indo-Pacific.

*Recorded on August 25, 2026 at 11am Taiwan Standard Time

Host/Senior Producer: Yin Khvat
Planner: Miguel Yang
Videographer: Celest Kao

Our guests:

Tsai Jung-hsiang
- National Chung Cheng University Political Science Professor
Patrick Cronin
- Hudson Institute Asia-Pacific Security Chair
Chong Ja Ian
- National University of Singapore Department of Political Science Associate Professor

Chapters:
00:00:00 – US Deterrence Becomes Less Visible
00:02:02 – What Do Reduced Drills Mean?
00:09:09 – US Announced Strait Transits Fall
00:19:45 – Lai Highlights Defense in Kinmen





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