Trump says US to scale back military drills with South Korea after it stayed out of Iran war

President Donald Trump announced a substantial reduction in joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea, citing his improved relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump also pointed to South Korea's recent decision to decline participation in the US-led effort for Iran's denuclearization as a factor in his decision.

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These exercises are not only costly, with much of these costs paid for by the United States of America (as usual!), but send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile.

In a social media post on Truth Social, Trump stated that the exercises are "costly," with the U.S. bearing the majority of the expenses. He described the drills as sending an "inappropriate and hostile" signal. Neither Seoul nor Pyongyang has officially commented on the announcement. This decision comes shortly after North Korea conducted ballistic missile tests, which are banned by the United Nations.

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While somewhat unrelated (?), I recently asked the President of South Korea if they would like to join us in the Denuclearization of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and they said, 'No thanks!'

Trump noted that it was "too late to cancel" the annual military exercises, which were scheduled to commence the day after his announcement. He also mentioned his recent inquiry to the South Korean president about joining the denuclearization of Iran, to which he received a "No thanks!" response. This remark suggests potential frustration with Seoul's reluctance to contribute militarily or logistically to U.S. hostilities in the Middle East.

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our training accounts for that threat

The U.S. and South Korean military leaders had recently announced the "Ulchi Freedom Shield" exercise, an 11-day event planned to be similar in scale to previous years, involving approximately 18,000 South Korean soldiers. During a press conference for the drills, military leaders also addressed North Korea's deployment of troops to support Russia's war in Ukraine. North Korea's foreign ministry had previously condemned the joint military drills as a "rehearsal for an aggressive war."

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a rehearsal for an aggressive war