A former senior U.S. official expressed concern that the Donald Trump administration is withdrawing key military resources from the Indo-Pacific to the Middle East to wage war against Iran, which could weaken the ability to deter China.
On 17 March 2026 GMT+7, a former senior U.S. official voiced concern that President Donald Trump's administration is withdrawing or redeploying military resources used to deter threats in the Indo-Pacific region to support operations in the war against Iran.
The warning came after reports that the U.S. relocated some components of the THAAD missile defense system from South Korea to the Middle East and deployed more than 2,000 troops from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, stationed in Japan, to the Middle East as well. A former U.S. official said that significant military capabilities used to deter threats in the Indo-Pacific have been withdrawn at a time when China is increasing military activity around Taiwan at unprecedented levels.
Meanwhile, the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN‑73), which is forward-deployed in Japan, is undergoing maintenance, leaving no fully operational U.S. aircraft carriers in the Indo-Pacific region at this time.
These U.S. moves have also raised concerns among Asian allies such as Japan and South Korea, who fear that the war in the Middle East could divert U.S. attention from the Indo-Pacific region. This region is considered the primary front in countering China and North Korea. Some security analysts warn that if the conflict with Iran drags on, the U.S. may face overstretched forces, potentially impacting its long-term strategy to maintain the balance of power in East Asia.
Source: NHK