Mandatory troop baselines and OPCON conditions challenge the Lee administration’s push for an expedited command transfer

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2026, a $901 billion defense policy bill that legally restricts the executive branch from reducing U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) below its current level of 28,500. The legislation reinstates a funding prohibition that requires the U.S. Secretary of Defense to certify to Congress that any troop reduction is in the U.S. national security interest and follows appropriate consultations with allies before funds can be obligated.

Beyond troop levels, the bill reinforces a strict, conditions-based framework for the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON). It prohibits the use of funds for any transition that deviates from the mutually agreed-upon bilateral plan, requiring the administration to notify Congress 60 days in advance and certify that the ROK military has met specific readiness milestones. The move comes as the Lee Jae Myung administration continues to push for an expedited transfer of command authority by 2030, a goal that has met with public caution from top U.S. military brass.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2026, a $901 billion defense policy bill that legally restricts the executive branch from reducing U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) below its current level of 28,500. The legislation reinstates a funding prohibition that requires the U.S. Secretary of Defense to certify to Congress that any troop reduction is in the U.S. national security interest and follows appropriate consultations with allies before funds can be obligated.

Beyond troop levels, the bill reinforces a strict, conditions-based framework for the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON). It prohibits the use of funds for any transition that deviates from the mutually agreed-upon bilateral plan, requiring the administration to notify Congress 60 days in advance and certify that the ROK military has met specific readiness milestones. The move comes as the Lee Jae Myung administration continues to push for an expedited transfer of command authority by 2030, a goal that has met with public caution from top U.S. military brass.

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