Trump orders Pentagon to scale back joint exercises with South Korea : NPR

WASHINGTON — On Sunday, President Donald Trump instructed the Pentagon to reduce the annual joint military drills with South Korea. He justified this move by citing South Korea’s refusal to assist in the war against Iran and his positive relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

In a social media post, Trump described the exercises, which commenced on Monday, as costly and sending an “inappropriate and hostile” message to North Korea. He noted that North Korea had been “unthreatening and respectful” during his presidency.

“Given that it’s too late to cancel, I’ve directed Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to significantly reduce the Joint Military Exercises!” Trump stated. He also mentioned that South Korea’s president declined to join the U.S. in the “denuclearization” of Iran, responding with, “No thanks!”

This action reflects a pattern of Trump prioritizing relationships with perceived adversaries over traditional allies. This has included criticism of NATO allies for their perceived lack of support in the conflict with Iran, while also addressing Russian aggression in the Baltic region.

Recently, the administration’s stance toward South Korea has shifted considerably.

In May, Hegseth commended South Korea for its “commitment to increase defense spending” and its “leadership in assuming primary responsibility for the security of the Korean Peninsula” during a Pentagon meeting.

“It exemplifies alliance burden-sharing that all of America’s partners should emulate,” the defense secretary noted.

What the US military says about the joint exercises

The exercises, spanning 11 days and involving 18,000 South Korean troops, are aimed at enhancing readiness against North Korean threats.

The U.S. military has emphasized that the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, held in the summer, serve as a “linchpin for regional peace and security” and reinforce the “ironclad commitment” between the United States and South Korea to defend their nations. These exercises, alongside springtime training, are one of the two primary combined drills conducted annually by the South Korean and U.S. militaries.

The joint exercises were set to include complex scenarios such as a live-fire exercise for joint precision targeting and maneuvering, a wet gap crossing, and the distribution of prepositioned military equipment. South Korea’s Defense Ministry confirmed that the exercises began as scheduled on Monday.

The joint training commenced shortly after North Korea resumed ballistic missile tests, defying U.N. bans.

Trump’s decision faced criticism from Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly, a former Navy pilot, who described the reduction of these joint exercises as “shortsighted and a mistake” in a social media post shortly after Trump’s announcement. Earlier in the month, South Korea, the U.S., and Japan detected two ballistic missile launches from North Korea, marking the first ballistic tests since late June, with the missiles landing off North Korea’s east coast.

North Korea threatens strong response

Since the collapse of high-stakes diplomacy between Kim and Trump in 2019, North Korea has been actively expanding its nuclear and missile capabilities. Experts speculate that Kim believes a larger arsenal could enhance his bargaining position with the U.S. in future negotiations.

On Friday, North Korea issued a warning of unspecified stern actions against the U.S. and South Korea, labeling their military exercises as “a rehearsal for an aggressive war” that increase regional instability.

This type of harsh rhetoric is typical from North Korea ahead of major U.S.-South Korean military drills. Analysts suggest that North Korea often uses these exercises as justification to escalate testing activities, modernize weapons, and bolster support for its leadership.

During his first term, Trump met with Kim Jong Un three times to discuss North Korea’s nuclear program, with the last meeting taking place in 2019. Since returning to office, Trump has expressed interest in resuming these discussions. In September 2025, Kim mentioned his “good personal memories” of Trump and suggested he might return to negotiations if the U.S. abandons its “delusional obsession with denuclearization” of North Korea.

Trump’s announcement followed a day after he shared a photo with Kim, commenting on their amicable relationship “despite the unfriendly look” in the image.

This isn’t the first time Trump has sought to halt these exercises. During his initial term, he made a surprise announcement calling the drills “provocative.”

“We will stop the war games, saving a significant amount of money unless future negotiations don’t proceed as expected,” Trump told reporters after his 2018 meeting with Kim in Singapore.