Washington: US President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that he has directed the Pentagon chief to significantly reduce joint military drills between the United States and South Korea. Trump described these exercises as "costly" and criticized them for sending an "inappropriate and hostile" message to North Korea.According to Nam News Network, Trump's statement came via a social media post, coinciding with the scheduled start of the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise by Seoul and Washington. This annual military exercise has been a point of contention for Pyongyang, which has consistently condemned it as a rehearsal for war.Trump emphasized his positive relationship with North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un, and expressed dissatisfaction with the long-standing military collaboration between the US and South Korea. He highlighted the financial burden these exercises place on the United States and argued that they project an unnecessary threat to North Korea, which he claimed has shown respect during his presiden cy.Furthermore, Trump disclosed that he had instructed Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to make substantial reductions to the joint exercises, citing the infeasibility of canceling them outright at this stage. He also mentioned a conversation with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung regarding participation in efforts to denuclearize Iran, to which he received a negative response, though he did not provide additional details on this exchange.
- August 20, 2026
