President Donald Trump has instructed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to substantially reduce the scale of long-planned joint military exercises with South Korea, citing his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
According to the report, Trump said North Korea has recently been "unthreatening and respectful" and argued that large-scale drills send a hostile signal to Pyongyang.
The decision affects the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, which involve U.S. and South Korean forces and are intended to strengthen their ability to respond to potential threats on the Korean Peninsula.
Trump described the exercises as expensive and said it was too late to cancel them entirely this year, but directed the Pentagon to reduce their overall scale.
According to the report, Trump also linked the decision to tensions with South Korea over its refusal to support U.S. efforts related to Iran's nuclear program.
Seoul declined a recent American request to participate in the campaign, adding another point of friction between the allies.
The planned reduction in exercises could nevertheless raise questions about deterrence and the future direction of U.S. military policy toward North Korea.
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Trump orders Pentagon to cut back military exercises with South Korea https://t.co/9lfB8B4Rw9 https://t.co/9lfB8B4Rw9
— Reuters (@Reuters) August 17, 2026
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