Donald Trump announced a significant reduction in joint military exercises with South Korea, citing his very good relationship with Kim Jong-un and South Korea's lack of support for the U.S. in its war against Iran.
On Sunday, 16 August 2026 GMT+7, U.S. President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social announcing that the U.S. would significantly reduce the scale of joint military exercises with South Korea, due to his very good relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who has consistently opposed these exercises.
"Because of my very good relationship with Kim Jong-un of North Korea, I am displeased that the United States has long agreed to participate in joint military exercises with South Korea. These exercises are not only costly, with the U.S. footing most of the bill (as usual!), but also send a highly inappropriate and hostile signal to a country that has behaved non-aggressively and respectfully, as long as Donald Trump is president."
"Therefore, given that it is now too late to cancel (the exercises), I have instructed Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of War, to significantly reduce the scale of these joint military exercises! And although it's somewhat unrelated, I recently asked the South Korean president if they wanted to join us in denuclearizing the Islamic Republic of Iran, and they replied, ‘No, thank you!’"
"Thank you for your attention on this matter. President Donald J. Trump," his message concluded.
During his first term, Donald Trump broke U.S. foreign policy norms by meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un three times in summits aimed at nuclear disarmament agreements, but no deal was reached and talks have stalled since 2019.
The U.S. and South Korea are scheduled to begin their regular joint military exercises on Monday, 17 August 2026 GMT+7.
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Source:truth social