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Trump orders Pentagon to scale back joint exercises with South Korea
AP News • • general
Key Points:
- President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to substantially reduce planned joint military exercises with South Korea, citing their high cost and the message they send to North Korea, which he described as "unthreatening and respectful" during his administration.
- Trump linked the decision to South Korea's refusal to assist the U.S. in denuclearizing Iran, stating he had asked South Korea's president for cooperation but was declined.
- The 11-day exercises, involving 18,000 South Korean troops, were intended to enhance readiness against North Korean threats, but North Korea condemned the drills as provocative and destabilizing.
- U.S. and South Korean forces had planned complex joint operations, including live-fire exercises and equipment distribution, to reinforce their alliance and regional security commitments.
- This move follows Trump's previous attempts to halt similar exercises during his first term, aligning with his ongoing interest in diplomatic engagement with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un.
