Trump Orders the Pentagon to ‘Substantially Reduce’ Joint Exercises with South Korea

President Donald Trump directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to “substantially reduce” joint military exercises with South Korea, one day before the U.S. was set to begin more than 10 days of drills in the region.

“Based on the fact that it is too late to cancel, I have instructed Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to substantially reduce the Joint Military Exercises!” Trump wrote Sunday on Truth Social, adding that the drills are “costly” for the U.S.

The president cited his “very good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as part of the reason for the new posture.

Trump said the exercises “send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile” to North Korea, which he said “has been unthreatening and respectful” during his time as president.

“While somewhat unrelated (?), I recently asked the President of South Korea if they would like to join us in the Denuclearization of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and they said, ‘No thanks!’” Trump wrote.

The U.S. has been at war with Iran since February, and Trump has repeatedly lambasted America’s allies for not supporting it during the conflict.

South Korea and the U.S. have engaged in joint military exercises since the end of the Korean War.

In 2018, Trump announced that the U.S. would halt what he called military “war games” with South Korea after meeting with North Korea’s leader for a historic summit in Singapore. Trump met with Kim three times during his first term in office — the only instances of a U.S. president meeting with North Korea’s top leader.

“It takes a while to repair the unnecessary damage he creates with allies,” Rep. Don Bacon (R-Nebraska) told NOTUS on Sunday. “Training exercises also sharpen our warriors. We both lose when we don’t train.”

Bacon added that North Korea is “one of the worst countries to live in the world,” and described leader Kim as “whacky.”

The U.S. reengaged in large-scale joint military drills with South Korea in 2022 by launching Ulchi Freedom Shield. The annual operation is set to begin Monday and run through Aug. 27. The drills feature “live, virtual, constructive and field-based training, engaging personnel from the various military services.”

The Pentagon referred a request for comment to the White House.

This story has been updated with a comment from Rep. Don Bacon.