The U.S. House Armed Services Committee has passed the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2026, which calls for maintaining the current number of American troops in South Korea. 
 
The committee passed Republican Sen. Joe Wilson’s amendment to the law, calling to maintain the presence of about 28-thousand-500 U.S. troops in South Korea, during a session held Tuesday in Washington.

Like the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, the 2026 version says Congress recognizes that the secretary of defense should continue efforts to strengthen U.S. security alliances and partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region, including improving mutual defense-based cooperation with South Korea and affirming the U.S. commitment to using all defense capabilities to provide extended deterrence.
   
On July 9, the Senate Armed Services Committee voted to advance the bill to the full Senate for consideration.

On top of supporting over 920 billion U.S. dollars in defense spending, it would prohibit a reduction in the U.S. military posture on the Korean Peninsula until the secretary of defense certifies to Congress that such action is in the national interest.

This is interpreted as a way for Congress to put the brakes on the Donald Trump administration’s discussions of pulling troops from South Korea.