WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon on Sunday to scale back annual joint military exercises with South Korea, stating that the ally declined to assist with the war against Iran and highlighting his positive relationship with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un.
In a social media post, Trump expressed that the exercises, which commenced Monday, are not only financially burdensome but also “send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile” to North Korea, which he claimed has been “unthreatening and respectful” during his presidency.
“Therefore, and 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 stated. He added that he had recently asked South Korea’s president if they would join the U.S. in the “denuclearization” of Iran, to which the response was a simple, “No thanks!”
This decision marks a significant shift in the president’s stance towards an ally in favor of a leader previously regarded as an adversary. Trump and his administration have also criticized NATO allies for their perceived lack of support in his war against Iran, even as they seek to address an increasingly assertive Russia in the Baltic region.
In a notable contrast, just months earlier, Hegseth had praised 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.
Context of Joint Military Exercises
The 11 days of exercises, which saw the participation of 18,000 South Korean soldiers, were intended to enhance readiness against potential threats from North Korea. The U.S. military has characterized the summertime Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises as crucial for reinforcing “the role of the alliance as the linchpin for regional peace and security” and reaffirming “the ironclad commitment between the United States and the Republic of Korea to defend their homelands.” These drills are one of the two primary combined military exercises conducted annually by the South Korean and U.S. militaries.
According to the U.S. military, the participating forces were expected to engage in joint operations under complex scenarios, which included a live-fire exercise aimed at testing joint precision targeting and maneuvering, as well as logistical operations involving prepositioned military equipment. South Korea’s Defense Ministry confirmed that the exercises began on schedule.
North Korea’s Response
These joint training exercises commenced shortly after North Korea resumed ballistic missile testing activities in defiance of United Nations sanctions. Trump’s decision faced swift criticism from Democratic Senator Mark Kelly, a former Navy pilot, who labeled the reduction of joint exercises as “hollowing out” and “shortsighted” in a social media post made just hours after Trump’s announcement. Earlier in the month, South Korea, the U.S., and Japan had detected the launch of two ballistic missiles from North Korea, marking the North’s first testing activities since late June.
North Korea has responded with threats of unspecified strong measures against the U.S. and South Korea, characterizing their military drills as “a rehearsal for an aggressive war” that exacerbates regional instability. Such rhetoric is typical for North Korea, which often employs strong language ahead of significant U.S.-South Korean military exercises. Experts suggest that North Korea frequently uses these drills as a pretext to accelerate its weapons testing, aiming to modernize its arsenal and bolster domestic support for its leadership.
Historical Context of U.S.-North Korea Relations
During his first term, Trump met with Kim Jong Un three times to discuss the country’s nuclear program, with their last meeting occurring in 2019. Since returning to office, Trump has shown interest in resuming discussions. In September 2025, Kim remarked on having “good personal memories” of Trump and suggested a willingness to return to negotiations if the U.S. were to abandon its “delusional obsession with denuclearization” of North Korea.
Trump’s announcement to scale back joint military exercises is not unprecedented; during his first term, he had similarly sought to halt these exercises, labeling them as “provocative.” Following his 2018 meeting with Kim in Singapore, he stated, “We will be stopping the war games, which will save us a tremendous amount of money, unless and until we see the future negotiation is not going along like it should.”
Associated Press writer Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea, contributed to this report.
