Trump orders significant reduction in US-South Korea military exercises

US President Donald Trump on Sunday (16/8) instructed Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to “significantly reduce” planned joint military exercises with South Korea.

Trump said his order was based on cost considerations as well as his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

“Based on my very good relationship with Kim Jong Un of North Korea, I am not happy with the fact that the United States, for a long time, has agreed to participate in Joint Military Exercises with South Korea,” he said via his Truth Social account.

Trump argued that the military exercises send a signal that he described as inappropriate and hostile to Pyongyang.

“These exercises not only cost a great deal of money–most of which is borne by the United States (as usual!)–but also send a completely inappropriate and hostile signal to a country that during Donald J. Trump’s presidency has shown no threat and has been respectful,” he said.

He added that it was too late to cancel the exercises entirely, so he directed Hegseth to “reduce them significantly.”

Trump also linked his decision to a separate interaction with South Korea in which he recently asked South Korean President Lee Jae Myung whether Seoul would be willing to join Washington in efforts to “denuclearise Iran,” but received the answer: “No, thank you.”