'Why aren't they paying?': Trump hits out at South Korea about missile defense system

CNBC ^ | Oct 2018 | Amanda Macias

[CondoleezzaProtege]

U.S. President Donald Trump criticized Seoul on Tuesday for failing to finance the U.S. deployment of a missile defense system on the Korean Peninsula.

Last year, the U.S. deployed two Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, launchers to South Korea in response to North Korea's increased missile and nuclear tests.

"I said, so let me get this, we have a system that's very expensive and we shoot down rockets that are shot from North Korea to South Korea," Trump said to a crowd in Council Bluffs, Iowa. "Okay, so we're protecting South Korea, right? Why aren't they paying?"

Trump added that he asked a "certain general" about THAAD's price tag and was told that because South Korea is an ally the United States foots the bill.

"Then I said, all right, give me the bad news. Raytheon, give me the bad news. How much is it going to cost?" Trump said referring to the defense company that produces the radar for THAAD. The missile system itself is made by Lockheed Martin.

"Sir, $1 billion.' I said, 'whoa, whoa!' So we're putting in a system that we pay for and it's going to cost a billion in order to protect an immensely wealthy country [South Korea] that makes all of your television sets, right?'" Trump said.

[ClearCase_guy]

The Globalists have been playing with a stacked deck. Therefore, the US has been bleeding money. But now we have our own card sharp and the odds are in our favor.

[Iron Munro]

Maybe because no one asked them to pay.

Our politicians and bureaucrats are accustomed to just handing out free goodies around the world.

[central_va]

Not only do we defend the ROK they charge our exports huge tariffs as a reward. We are fools. Let fat boy have them.

[Cowboy Bob]

"Sir, $1 billion.' I said, 'whoa, whoa!' So we're putting in a system that we pay for and it's going to cost a billion in order to protect an immensely wealthy country [South Korea] that makes all of your television sets, right?'" Trump said.

Yes. We are paying 100% of their protection so that they can build and sell TV sets and Cars and Cell Phones to America...thereby denying jobs to Americans to build TVs, Cars and Cell Phones in America.

Makes sense! /sarc

[Sacajaweau]

IIRC, North Korea didn’t want them and then changed their mind.

[Sacajaweau]

Oops....I South Korea didn’t want them and changed their mind.

[central_va]

Yes. We are paying 100% of their protection so that they can build and sell TV sets and Cars and Cell Phones to America...thereby denying jobs to Americans to build TVs, Cars and Cell Phones in America.

Worth repeating.

[AZSonic]

Time to make them pay President Trump. If they’re true allies, they would. If not, they can roll into North Korea themselves.

[dragnet2]

The U.S. has been looted for decades to weaken the U.S. in an effort to bring the U.S. in down to the level of countries like S. Korea as well as 3rd world countries. They've admitted this on many occasions with their demands of having a, "Level playing field" etc.

Independent superpowers simply do not fit into their globalist agenda.

[InterceptPoint]

Trump, you’re not paying attention. You’re about to lose any chance you have for that $1,000,000 a year job as a part time consultant to Samsung if you keep this up.

Oh wait. You actually don’t need the money and aren’t interested in that job or one like it. Sorry about that. Can you pass my comments on to Bill and Hillary?

[GOPJ]

The Globalists have been playing with a stacked deck.

Yep - and American policy was created to line their pockets and the pockets of our corrupt 'elites'...

Thank God Trump can see the trees AND the forest and the cards being played...

[JPJones]

Maybe they could pay us back with free flat screen tvs for life!

[BenLurkin]

Good question

[bert]

drivel

[HarleyD]

Amazing our professional politicians never though to ask these basic questions.