Trump orders Pentagon to scale back joint exercises with South Korea

President Donald Trump directed the Pentagon on Sunday to reduce planned joint military exercises with South Korea, stating the drills were costly and "totally inappropriate and hostile" to North Korea. He argued the exercises, set to commence this week, send the wrong signal to Pyongyang, which he claims has been "unthreatening and respectful" during his presidency.

Trump instructed Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to substantially reduce the Joint Military Exercises, even though cancelling them entirely was too late. The 11-day drills, involving 18,000 South Korean troops, aimed to enhance readiness against North Korean threats. North Korea threatened unspecified stern measures against the U.S. and South Korea on Friday, labelling the exercises as a "rehearsal for an aggressive war" that heightens regional instability.

U.S. and South Korean forces were to simulate complex scenarios, including live-fire targeting and equipment distribution, to reinforce alliance peace and security. North Korea resumed ballistic missile testing activities banned by the UN earlier this month, with the North launching a short-range missile off its east coast. North Korea has been aggressively expanding its nuclear and missile arsenals since its high-stakes diplomacy with Trump ended in 2019.

Trump has met with Kim three times during his term, most recently in 2019, and has shown interest in resuming talks. His latest move follows his 2018 announcement to "stop the war games," claiming they were "provocative" and would save money unless future negotiations improved.