Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an annual defense policy bill that includes a measure to restrict the government from unilaterally reducing the current troop level of the 28,500-strong U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), according to the White House.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2026, which authorizes funding for the Department of Defense from October this year to September next year, passed the House of Representatives last week and the Senate on Wednesday before being signed into law by Trump. The bill stipulates that funds authorized under the act cannot be obligated or expended to reduce U.S. troops in South Korea unless it is certified that such a reduction aligns with U.S. national security interests and follows appropriate consultations with allies, including South Korea.

Furthermore, without the necessary certification, the allocated funds may not be used to complete the transition of wartime operational control from the United States to South Korea in a way that deviates from a bilateral agreement, as specified in the bill. The provision to restrict USFK troop drawdown has reappeared in the bill after a five-year absence, having initially been included in the NDAA during the first Trump administration to prevent a unilateral troop reduction.

The bill authorizes $901 billion in military spending for the upcoming fiscal year. Congress passes the NDAA annually to set defense policy, establish funding priorities, and provide guidance on a range of key security matters.