August 16, 2026 · Foreign Policy, War & National Security
· Official action
Confirmed
Trump Orders the Pentagon to Cut Back Joint Drills With South Korea Hours Before They Begin, Citing Kim Jong Un
President Trump announced on Truth Social on Sunday, Aug. 16 that he had instructed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to substantially reduce joint military exercises with South Korea, hours before the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield drills were due to start. "Based on my very good relationship with Kim Jong Un, of North Korea, I am not happy" with the exercises, he wrote, calling them costly and a signal "totally inappropriate and hostile" toward North Korea. He added that he had asked South Korea's president to join the campaign against Iran and been told "No thanks!" At least 18,000 South Korean troops were scheduled to take part in the 10-day exercise.
South Korea has been a treaty ally for more than 70 years and hosts the largest U.S. military installation overseas. Altering a combined exercise by social media post hours before it begins, and tying it to an ally's refusal to join a separate war, links alliance commitments to unrelated demands.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff told CNN the exercise began Monday as planned; whether it has been pared down is unclear. The Blue House said it was reviewing the remarks and would keep working with Washington on the drills.
South Korea has been a treaty ally for more than 70 years and hosts the largest U.S. military installation overseas. Altering a combined exercise by social media post hours before it begins, and tying it to an ally's refusal to join a separate war, links alliance commitments to unrelated demands.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff told CNN the exercise began Monday as planned; whether it has been pared down is unclear. The Blue House said it was reviewing the remarks and would keep working with Washington on the drills.