Washington (Rajeev Sharma): US President Donald Trump has directed Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to substantially scale down joint military exercises conducted by the United States and South Korea, citing the cost of the drills and his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
In a statement shared on Truth Social, Trump questioned the need for the United States to continue participating in large-scale exercises with Seoul. He argued that the activities place a considerable financial burden on Washington and could be perceived by North Korea as an unnecessarily provocative move.
Trump said his decision was influenced by what he described as a positive relationship with Kim, adding that North Korea had remained respectful and non-threatening during his presidency.
The US president acknowledged that the exercises could not be cancelled entirely at this stage because arrangements for them had already been made. Instead, he said Hegseth had been instructed to reduce their scale.
The announcement represents a notable shift in Trump’s stated approach to joint military activities on the Korean Peninsula, where exercises involving US and South Korean forces have long been conducted to maintain military preparedness.
Trump also brought another issue into his statement, saying he had recently asked South Korea’s president whether Seoul would participate in US efforts aimed at the denuclearisation of Iran. According to Trump, the proposal was declined.
The directive comes as Trump continues to emphasise his personal diplomacy with Kim Jong Un. His latest comments suggest that the US administration is seeking to factor those relations into its assessment of military activities involving South Korea.
The extent of the proposed reduction and its impact on upcoming exercises were not detailed in Trump’s statement.
