Trump Orders Reduction in South Korea Military Drills, Cites Iran Support

President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to significantly scale back joint military exercises with South Korea, citing the drills' high cost and South Korea's perceived lack of cooperation on denuclearizing Iran. Trump stated on social media that the exercises, scheduled to begin this week, send an "inappropriate and hostile" signal to North Korea, which he described as respectful and non-threatening during his presidency.

"Therefore, and based on the fact that it is too late to cancel, I have asked Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to substantially reduce the Joint Military Exercises!" Trump wrote. The planned 11-day drills involved 18,000 South Korean soldiers and were designed to bolster readiness against North Korean threats. U.S. and South Korean forces were set to practice complex joint operations, including live-fire exercises and troop movements.

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the exercises, scheduled to begin this week, are costly and “send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile” to North Korea, which, he said, “has not been threatening and has been respectful” while Trump has been in the White House.

This decision follows a period of diplomatic engagement between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, with Trump expressing a desire to continue those conversations. Trump has previously halted or reduced military drills with South Korea, calling them "provocative" and a drain on resources. North Korea has consistently condemned the joint exercises as a rehearsal for invasion, contributing to regional instability.

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Therefore, and based on the fact that it is too late to cancel, I have asked Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, ¡reduce substantially the Joint Military Exercises!