Trump Orders Major Cut to US-South Korea Military Drills

Former U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that he has ordered a substantial reduction in joint military drills with South Korea, a key U.S. ally. He attributed the decision to his “very good” relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

In a social media post on Truth Social, Trump stated he instructed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to reduce the scale of combined military training with South Korea.

“These exercises are not only costly—with the United States bearing a large portion of these expenses (as usual)—but they also send a wholly inappropriate and hostile signal to a country that has, for as long as Donald J. Trump was President, shown respect and posed no threat,” Trump wrote on his platform.

He reiterated that he directed his defense secretary to cut the drills “significantly.”

South Korea’s Stance on Iran

Trump also referenced Seoul’s refusal to join U.S.-led measures against Iran.

“Although somewhat unrelated (?), I recently asked the President of South Korea whether they would like to join us in nuclear disarmament of the Islamic Republic of Iran—and they replied, ‘No, thank you!’” he wrote.

Timing and Prior U.S. Commitment

Trump noted that while it is now too late to cancel the upcoming drills entirely, he remains dissatisfied with the prior U.S. agreement to participate in them. He again emphasized his “very good” rapport with Kim Jong Un.

The annual joint military exercises—named Freedom Shield and Ulchi—are scheduled to take place from August 17 to August 27.