RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. President Donald Trump said Sunday that he has instructed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to substantially reduce upcoming U.S.- South Korea military exercises, arguing that the drills send a message that is "hostile" to North Korea despite his longstanding relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he was "not happy" that the United States had agreed to participate in joint military exercises with South Korea and described the drills as costly and unnecessary.
"Based on my very good relationship with Kim Jong Un, of North Korea, I am not happy with the fact that the United States has, long ago, agreed to participate in Joint Military Exercises with South Korea," Trump wrote.
The president said he had instructed Hegseth to "substantially reduce" the exercises, though he added it was "too late to cancel" them altogether.
Newsweek reached out to the Pentagon and the White House on Sunday.
Trump's comments touch on one of the most sensitive issues in Northeast Asian security.
Annual military exercises between the United States and South Korea are intended to improve readiness between the allies and deter potential aggression from North Korea. Pyongyang has long condemned such drills as rehearsals for invasion and has frequently responded with threats, missile launches or military demonstrations.
The remarks also come as North Korea deepens ties with Russia and China, a trend U.S. and allied officials have increasingly cited as a challenge to regional security.
Any reduction of allied exercises would likely draw scrutiny from defense officials, lawmakers and analysts who view the drills as a key element of deterrence on the Korean Peninsula.
Trump framed his position largely around his personal diplomacy with Kim, whom he met three times during his first term.
The president argued that North Korea has been "unthreatening and respectful" during his presidency and suggested the exercises send the wrong signal.
"These exercises are not only costly, with much of these costs paid for by the United States of America ... but send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile," Trump wrote.
Trump also referenced a recent conversation with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, claiming he had asked Lee whether South Korea wished to participate in efforts related to the denuclearization of Iran. Trump said Lee replied, "No thanks."
It was not immediately clear whether the Pentagon plans to alter the upcoming Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises in response to Trump's comments.
Trump's comments come just days after North Korea sharply criticized the upcoming Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises scheduled to begin August 17.
North Korea's Foreign Ministry warned that Pyongyang was prepared to defend itself with "the most powerful and overwhelming force" and accused Washington of seeking military dominance on the peninsula. North Korean officials said the drills reflected increasingly hostile U.S. policy and objected to scenarios involving drones, cyberattacks and other modern warfare threats.
The annual exercise involves U.S. and South Korean forces and is designed to improve joint operational readiness.
According to reports published this week, North Korea has characterized expanding military cooperation among the United States, South Korea and Japan as a growing security threat.
The comments come amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula .
South Korea said Sunday that its military fired warning shots after North Korean soldiers crossed the military demarcation line separating the two countries, prompting the troops to return.
South Korean officials said they remain closely monitoring North Korean activities and are maintaining readiness along the border.
At the same time, North Korea and Russia have continued to deepen ties, with Pyongyang and Moscow exchanging messages over the weekend reaffirming their growing partnership since North Korean troops and weapons were deployed in support of Russia's war in Ukraine.
Analysts have argued that North Korea's growing relationships with both Moscow and Beijing have increased Kim's geopolitical leverage, allowing him to play a more prominent role in strategic competition among major powers.
Trump has continued to leave open the possibility of renewed diplomacy with North Korea and has frequently pointed to his previous meetings with Kim as evidence of their personal rapport.
During his first term, Trump became the first sitting U.S. president to meet a North Korean leader. The two men met in Singapore in 2018, Hanoi in 2019 and later at the Korean Demilitarized Zone.
Although negotiations over North Korea's nuclear program ultimately stalled, Trump has continued to describe his relationship with Kim in favorable terms.
On Saturday, Trump posted a photograph of himself with Kim on Truth Social and wrote that the two "get along GREAT," comments that came as North Korea criticized the upcoming military exercises.
It remains unclear whether Trump's directive will result in immediate changes to the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises or future U.S.-South Korea military planning.
Any reduction would likely draw scrutiny from defense officials and U.S. allies in the region, particularly as North Korea continues to advance its weapons programs and expand military cooperation with Russia.
For now, Trump's latest comments signal that his approach to North Korea remains heavily influenced by the personal diplomacy that defined one of the most unconventional relationships of his first presidency.
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