In brief
Donald Trump announced a "substantially reduce" joint military exercise programme with South Korea on his Truth Social account. He blamed the high cost paid by the United States and said the drills sent a "totally inappropriate and hostile" signal. Trump also noted South Korea's refusal to cooperate in a U.S. push for Iran denuclearisation and referenced his 2019 visit to North Korea. The regular U.S.–Korea exercises were scheduled to begin this Monday, but Trump’s warning suggests a significant shift. More details are expected shortly.
Donald Trump announced that the United States will "substantially reduce" joint military exercises with South Korea, citing a very good relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
He warned that the drills are expensive – largely funded by the U.S. – and send a hostile signal that, according to him, is far from appropriate.
Trump pointed out that South Korea has recently declined to join the U.S. plan to denuclearise Iran, further raising the stakes of the military partnership.
Re‑visiting a foreign policy that has historically pushed for closer engagement with North Korea, Trump highlighted his 2019 departure from standard U.S. doctrine.
The first round of staged exercises was slated to start on Monday, but officials said Trump’s statement suggests a potential scale‑back of the program. This is an evolving story and readers are encouraged to stay tuned for updates.
