Trump says US will reduce military exercises with South Korea, citing lack of help with Iran

Trump says US will reduce Korea drills over Iran friction

Earthguardiansonline.com – Trump says US will reduce joint military exercises with South Korea, a decision announced Sunday just hours before the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield drills were scheduled to begin. President Donald Trump pointed to two reasons in a Truth Social post: his self-described warm rapport with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and what he characterized as Seoul’s refusal to assist Washington in the ongoing war against Iran. The announcement lands against a backdrop of more than seven decades of alliance between the two countries, anchored by a mutual defense treaty and the presence of Camp Humphreys, the largest U.S. military installation outside the continental United States.

Why the drills drew a sudden pause

In his post, Trump wrote that the exercises are “not only costly, with much of these costs paid for by the United States of America (as usual!)” and that they send a signal he called “totally inappropriate and hostile” toward Pyongyang. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed to CNN that the drills commenced on Monday as planned, though the extent to which they have been trimmed remains unclear. Local authorities had projected at least 18,000 South Korean troops would participate in what is typically a large-scale operation involving major equipment.

“Based on my very good relationship with Kim Jong Un, of North Korea, I am not happy with the fact that the United States has, long ago, agreed to participate in Joint Military Exercises with South Korea.” — Donald Trump, Truth Social

North Korea’s foreign ministry had already denounced the planned drills the previous week, calling them “a rehearsal for an aggressive war” and a “grave threat” to its security. The exercises were designed to adapt to Pyongyang’s evolving capabilities, including training to counter drones, GPS disruption, and cyberattacks, according to a joint statement cited by Reuters.

Iran friction and the broader alliance strain

Trump also used the post to press South Korea for military support in the Iran conflict. “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!'” he wrote. The president has repeatedly criticized allies who have not contributed to the war effort, and this latest remark underscores a widening rift within the U.S. alliance network.

For Kim, the Iran war has reinforced his conviction that retaining nuclear weapons was the correct course after denuclearization talks collapsed during Trump’s first term. In a March address to North Korea’s Supreme People’s Assembly, Kim accused Washington of “acts of state sponsored terrorism and aggression,” though he did not name Iran. He has not yet publicly responded to the latest scaling-back announcement.

Over the weekend, Kim sent a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirming Pyongyang’s deepening partnership with Moscow, timed to mark North Korea’s independence from Japanese rule. North Korean soldiers and missiles have supported Moscow’s war in Ukraine. Separately, state-run KNCA published photographs of Kim and his daughter, believed to be Kim Ju Ae and increasingly viewed as a likely successor, attending a circus performance together.

Precedent from the first term

This is not the first time Trump has moved to dial back joint operations on the Korean Peninsula. In 2018, while nuclear negotiations with Pyongyang were underway, he called it “inappropriate to have war games” on the peninsula. After the March 2019 Hanoi summit ended without a deal, Washington and Seoul agreed to reconfigure annual large-scale exercises into smaller ones. At the time, Trump cited savings of “hundreds of millions of dollars” that the United States was not being reimbursed for. Earlier this weekend, he posted a photo with Kim captioned: “Despite the unfriendly look on this particular picture, there are many where we’re smiling, Kim Jong Un and I get along GREAT!”

FAQ

When were the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises originally scheduled?

The annual joint drills were set to begin Monday and run for 10 days, incorporating training against drones, GPS jamming, and cyber threats.

How many troops were expected to participate?

Local authorities projected at least 18,000 South Korean service members would take part, alongside U.S. forces stationed at Camp Humphreys and other bases.

Has South Korea confirmed the drills are proceeding?

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff told CNN the exercises started on Monday as scheduled. Whether they have been reduced in scope following Trump’s announcement has not been publicly clarified.

What did North Korea say about the planned drills?

Pyongyang’s foreign ministry called the exercises “a rehearsal for an aggressive war” and a “grave threat” to its security, echoing long-standing objections to large-scale U.S.-South Korea operations.