Ministers tread carefully as Trump scales back US drills in South Korea

Australian and Japanese defence ministers met in Canberra to discuss the growing defence ties between their nations. The talks came as President Donald Trump announced he would scale back military exercises with South Korea. Despite the US president's decision, the defence ministers did not comment on the move, signaling their continued concern about North Korea's growing military capabilities and the Trump administration's unpredictable behaviour.

Both countries are increasingly worried about China's rapid military expansion, and the US administration's actions are seen as a potential threat to regional stability. The defence ministers emphasized the importance of continued cooperation between Australia, Japan, and the US in response to these challenges.