Trump orders Pentagon to scale back military drills with South Korea hours before start

President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that the United States will "substantially reduce" joint military exercises with South Korea due to South Korea's refusal to join the US in denuclearizing Iran. Trump emphasized that these exercises are costly, with most of the expenses shouldered by the US, and send a hostile signal to North Korea.

Despite Seoul's assertion that the drills would proceed as scheduled, Pyongyang has yet to comment. The decision comes after North Korea conducted ballistic missile tests that are banned by the United Nations. Trump suggested that it was too late to cancel the exercises, as they were set to begin on Monday. He also mentioned that he had previously asked South Korea's President if they would like to join the US in denuclearizing Iran, to which they had declined.

Experts warn that scaling back joint military exercises could have significant negative consequences, including damaging alliance coordination, delaying South Korea's responsibility for its own defense, and weakening deterrence against potential conflicts in Asia. The cost savings from reducing drills are expected to be minimal, while the diplomatic benefits with North Korea are doubtful.