Trump Orders Pentagon to Scale Back Military Exercises with South Korea

Reuters

US President Donald Trump.

US President Donald Trump has instructed the Pentagon to substantially reduce joint military exercises with South Korea, Reuters reported on Sunday, as the annual drills with Seoul began.

Trump said the decision was partly driven by the cost of the exercises and South Korea’s refusal to take part in US military action against Iran.

The US and South Korea began their annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise on Monday, 17 August. According to Reuters, Trump said it was too late to cancel this year’s drills entirely, but that he had directed the Pentagon to reduce their scale.

Trump also pointed to his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, suggesting that large-scale military exercises could send an inappropriate signal to Pyongyang.

The exercises are held annually to strengthen the allies’ readiness to respond to potential threats from North Korea. They typically include computer-simulated command exercises alongside field training involving military personnel from both countries.

North Korea has consistently condemned the drills, describing them as preparations for an invasion, while Washington and Seoul maintain that they are defensive in nature.

Despite Trump’s order to scale back the exercises, the drills began as scheduled on Monday, with around 18,000 South Korean troops expected to participate, Reuters reported.


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