On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2026 (October 2025 – September 2026), which includes provisions to limit the reduction of U.S. forces in South Korea.
The Senate approved the NDAA with a 77-20 vote. Following its passage in the House last week, the bill now awaits President Donald Trump’s signature to become law.
This NDAA prohibits using funds to reduce U.S. troop levels in South Korea below 28,500. This marks the first time in five years that restrictions on troop reductions have been reintroduced in the NDAA.
The bill also prevents funds from being used to complete the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) from U.S. to South Korean leadership.
However, a clause allows for lifting these restrictions after 60 days if the relevant committees receive documentation showing the reduction aligns with U.S. national security interests and involves proper consultations with allies, including South Korea, Japan, and other nations contributing to the United Nations (UN) Command.
The NDAA allocates 901 billion USD for the FY2026 defense budget, including a 3.8% military pay raise and funding for new submarines, fighter jets, and drone technology to counter China and Russia.
It also provides 800 million USD over two years to support Ukraine’s security initiatives.
The bill prohibits reducing U.S. forces in Europe below 76,000 for more than 45 days and blocks major equipment withdrawals. Exceptions are possible if the Pentagon consults North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies and proves to Congress that such reductions don’t threaten U.S. national security.
The New York Times reports that this budget exceeds the White House’s request by 8 billion USD, but President Trump is expected to sign it despite his administration’s trend of federal budget cuts.
The NDAA does not include funding to rename the Department of Defense to the Department of War.
It also requires the Pentagon to be more transparent about naval strikes in international waters.
The bill mandates that lawmakers receive specific attack orders and unedited footage, with a 25% cut to the Defense Secretary’s travel budget for non-compliance.
Notably, the NDAA repeals the 1991 and 2002 Authorizations for Use of Military Force (AUMF) for Iraq, which allowed presidents to engage in military action without congressional approval.
The bill also ends sanctions on Syria, rejects Grand Old Party (GOP) efforts to cut funding for service members’ gender transition surgeries, and removes support for in vitro treatments for infertile service members.
Lastly, it allows military aircraft to disable tracking near Ronald Reagan Airport when on national security missions or deemed non-threatening to civilian aviation.