{
  "id": 6523492,
  "title": "The Donald Trump shock in East Asia",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/10/the-donald-trump-shock-in-east-asia",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-10T02:09:09.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Jakarta Post",
    "slug": "the-jakarta-post",
    "url": "https://www.thejakartapost.com/opinion/2026/09/10/the-donald-trump-shock-in-east-asia.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In East Asia, the shockwaves of President Donald Trump's decision to \"substantially reduce\" military exercises with South Korea rippled through nations on August 16, one day after the anniversary of Emperor Hirohito's surrender announcement. The reason for this unusual move was Trump's claim that the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises were \"totally inappropriate and hostile\" to North Korea, which had been following a respectful and unthreatening approach since their meetings in 2019. However, North Korea had been ramping up its nuclear capabilities, launching ballistic missiles over the Sea of Japan in recent years.\n\nTrump's erratic behavior extended beyond the Ulchi exercises, as he also canceled a joint amphibious landing drill with US and South Korean marines. He attributed his anger to South Korea's refusal to join his war on Iran, a conflict he deemed reckless and counterproductive. While this may be true, there could be a deeper motivation behind his actions. Trump, according to some, wants to be remembered as the greatest US president, the one who established world peace by making deals with dictators like Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin.\n\nFor South Koreans and Japanese, the cancellation of military exercises came as a shock, causing alarm and concern. Historical wounds between Japan and South Korea still exist, but the US military guarantees had kept potential conflicts at bay for decades. However, Trump's decision has shattered the comforting assumptions of Pax Americana, leaving East Asia in a state of uncertainty and alarm.",
  "summary": "The consequences of Trump’s behavior are even more serious for East Asia than they are for Europe.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}