Pentagon says 'no changes' to announce about ongoing S. Korea-U.S. exercise
WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. Defense Department said Monday that it ...
On August 17, the U.S. Defense Department announced that there are no planned changes to the ongoing South Korea-U.S. military exercise, known as Ulchi Freedom Shield 2026. This came a day after President Donald Trump instructed the Pentagon to substantially reduce allied exercises.
Trump made his directive known through a social media post on Sunday, as the joint exercises were already underway. The South Korean and U.S. militaries had initiated Ulchi Freedom Shield 2026, aiming to bolster their defenses against potential aggression from North Korea.
The Pentagon spokesperson provided a statement to Yonhap News Agency, reiterating that there are no changes to the exercise schedule at this time. When asked about Trump's comments or the broader policy implications, the spokesperson directed inquiries to the White House. The White House, however, did not immediately respond to Yonhap's requests for comment.
Trump's Sunday post on social media, via his Truth Social account, detailed his decision to scale back exercises with South Korea. He highlighted the high costs of these drills and described them as sending a "totally inappropriate and hostile" message to North Korea.
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