Trump Orders Pentagon to Reduce Joint Military Exercises with South Korea

On Sunday, US President Donald Trump directed the Pentagon to reduce the scope of upcoming joint military drills with South Korea, attributing this decision to South Korea's lack of support for Iran's denuclearization. In a social media update, Trump criticized the exercises, set to commence this week, as expensive and indicative of hostility towards North Korea, which he characterized as "unthreatening and respectful" during his administration. He tasked Secretary of War Pete Hegseth with significantly cutting back on the exercises, acknowledging that cancellation was no longer feasible. Meanwhile, South Korea's defense ministry confirmed that the drills would continue as planned. The 11-day exercises, involving 18,000 South Korean troops, aimed to enhance readiness against North Korean threats and included various complex operational activities. This decision represents a notable change in US-South Korea military relations with potential consequences for regional security.