Trump seeks to scale back joint drills in bid to lure Kim back to talks, experts say

President Donald Trump has proposed reducing joint military drills with South Korea, in a bid to persuade North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to resume diplomatic negotiations, according to experts. The U.S. leader argued that the exercises were expensive and conveyed an inappropriate and hostile message to Pyongyang. Trump stated that he had instructed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to significantly reduce the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise, which was already set to commence.

This move marks the first time since his second term began that Trump has ordered such a reduction in joint drills. During his first term, following his June 2018 summit with Kim in Singapore, Trump had referred to joint military exercises as "good." Recently, Trump shared a photograph of their 2019 meeting in Panmunjeom, stating that the two leaders "get along GREAT."