A senior Pentagon official said on Tuesday that U.S. President Donald Trump has been clear on the need for other countries to pay more for shared defense.

Deputy Secretary of Defense David Norquist made the comment at a House Budget Committee hearing when asked about the stalled negotiations with South Korea on a new cost-sharing agreement for the upkeep of American troops on the Korean Peninsula.

The allies have held six rounds of talks to renew their Special Measures Agreement, which expired at the end of last year, but have failed to reach a consensus. 

Asked about the potential consequences of the allies failing to reach a deal, Norquist said that the State Department is the lead on the negotiation, and the U.S. looks forward to working with the South Koreans. 

While deferring to the department for any backup plans, the deputy secretary said that President Trump has been very clear he wants other countries to increase their investment in their own side.