US, South Korea cut short joint drills after Trump criticism
Allies US and South Korea are currently holding joint military exercises. The drills will, however, wrap up earlier than planned after Trump ordered cuts.
South Korea and the United States have decided to shorten their annual joint military exercises by about half, following criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump. The drills, which were set to run until August 27, will now end on August 21, according to a statement from South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff. Trump had deemed the exercises "inappropriate and hostile" to South Korea's rival, North Korea, and ordered a reduction in U.S. participation.
The two nations also agreed to make some adjustments to the scope of the drills, including downsizing certain joint field training exercises. Trump's decision to shorten the drills was announced on his Truth Social platform, stating that they were costly and sent a hostile signal to North Korea. North Korea's state media denounced the drills as a "most immediate and open threat," while South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung emphasized that the exercises were defensive in nature.
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