U.S., Japanese, and South Korean naval forces conducted joint exercises in East Asian waters on Thursday, marking their most intricate and final drills before President Joe Biden transfers one of his key national security initiatives to Donald Trump.

The Freedom Edge naval exercise, led by the USS George Washington carrier and its accompanying jet fighters, took place in waters south of the Korean Peninsula and west of Japan’s main islands. This event follows a 2023 agreement facilitated by Biden, which saw Seoul and Tokyo set aside longstanding tensions to establish trilateral security cooperation with Washington.

While additional exercises are scheduled for next year, neither Trump nor his chosen Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, a Fox News commentator known for his hardline stance on China, have yet articulated their national security strategies for the sensitive East Asian region. Biden, who will leave office in January, also advocated for expanding trilateral cooperation to encompass technology, supply chain security, and cyber defense.

Jeffrey Hornung, a Japanese security policy expert at the Rand Corporation, noted, “If trilateralism is presented as a Biden accomplishment, there is a possibility that Trump may choose to overlook it. The significance of trilateralism will need to be effectively communicated to him rather than simply assumed.”

In June, Trump’s associates reassured officials in Japan and South Korea of his commitment to enhancing trilateral relations. During his first term, Trump urged Tokyo and Seoul to increase their financial contributions for the U.S. military presence, which includes amphibious units and naval vessels in Japan that could be deployed to protect Taiwan from potential Chinese aggression.

In a recent meeting involving senior officials from the United States, South Korea, and Japan, national security advisers Jake Sullivan, Shin Won-sik, and Takeo Akiba voiced their concerns regarding the increasing collaboration between Russia and North Korea, particularly in relation to troop deployments by Pyongyang against Ukrainian forces.

With President Biden’s departure, only South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol remains among the leaders who convened at Camp David in 2023 to discuss enhanced cooperation in light of escalating tensions in East Asia involving China, Russia, and North Korea.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida resigned in September following public backlash over a funding scandal affecting his administration.

During a visit to the aircraft carrier on Thursday, U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel emphasized that the trilateral agreement and the ensuing military collaboration conveyed a significant message to Beijing.

“Our deterrence is not only stronger, but we are also witnessing its effectiveness, which is encouraging, as is the case for China,” he stated aboard the carrier. Emanuel, who may leave Japan before the year’s end, is set to be succeeded by an envoy appointed by Trump.

Japanese Rear Admiral Takashi Matsui and South Korean Rear Admiral Hur Sung-jae, who led their respective forces during the naval exercise, joined him on the ship’s hangar deck, which was filled with F-18 and F-35 fighter jets.

Rear Admiral Hur noted that the exercise, which followed North Korea’s recent test of what it claims to be an upgraded intercontinental ballistic missile, served as a clear message to the provocative neighbor. “It is designed to respond to and deter North Korean provocations,” he remarked.