US President Donald Trump has issued a directive to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to "substantially reduce" upcoming joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea. The President cited both the financial burden of the drills and his personal relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un as primary motivations for the decision.
In a statement posted to his Truth Social account, Trump expressed dissatisfaction with the long-standing agreement for the US to participate in these joint exercises. He argued that the military maneuvers send a "totally inappropriate and hostile" signal to North Korea, a country he described as being "unthreatening and respectful" throughout his presidency. Furthermore, he noted that the US bears much of the cost for these operations, labeling the expense as typical for such international commitments.
Because the planning for these exercises is already too advanced to cancel them entirely, Trump confirmed he has ordered Secretary Hegseth to implement a significant reduction in their scope instead.
The President also connected this policy shift to a recent diplomatic exchange with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. According to Trump, he had reached out to the South Korean leader to inquire if Seoul would join Washington in a campaign to "denuclearise Iran," an invitation he stated was met with a "No thanks" response.
