Japan and SK vs. DPRK

Trump's pilgrimage to force local conflicts to be resolved, locally, is of impeccable timing. Japan and SK will never pay for non-nuclear protection, because they can do it themselves, far more efficiently. However, this does not mean that Japan and SK need to go nuclear. The US can provide the nuclear deterrence easily for pennies on the dollar and thus prevent nuclear proliferation. The replacement of US troops with Japanese and SK troops, is long past due. If DPRK is plausibly foolish enough to use nuclear weapons, then the judicious deployment of missile shields similar to the Israel systems, are warranted. China will not let DPRK push the nuclear option, as there is too much to loose for China, so this is a long festered sore that really can be resolved, via conventional arms if necessary, by the locals. China directly manipulates DPRK as a distraction to issues between the USA and China. Call this Chinese bluff. Likewise, the USA should only provide the nuclear shield to other allies who are willing to pay the American defence costs, regardless of how bloated those costs are. If we are running a trade deficit with an ally, then the books are easy to balance with said ally.

This sort of hard nosed policy is exactly what is needed to bring the US defence budget under control, or transfer those costs to those that benefit and provide relief to the US debt. Personally, I feel no necessity to pay these defence costs of others, either with America lives or treasure.