President Donald Trump said on Aug. 16 that he has instructed the Pentagon to significantly scale back joint military exercises with South Korea, citing the cost of the drills and the country’s refusal to participate in actions against Iran.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said it was too late to completely cancel the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, which were scheduled to begin hours later, but noted that he was “not happy” the United States had agreed to take part.
The joint military exercises are scheduled for Aug. 17 to 27 and will involve about 18,000 South Korean military personnel. South Korean officials said last week the drills would include training to counter drones, GPS jamming and cyberattacks in response to North Korea’s evolving military capabilities.
Trump also emphasized what he described as his “very good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
“These exercises are not only costly … but send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile, to a country that, as long as Donald J. Trump has been President, has been unthreatening and respectful,” Trump wrote in the post.
The president also pointed to South Korea’s position on the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.
“While somewhat unrelated (?), I recently asked the President of South Korea if they would like to join us in the Denuclearization of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and they said, ‘No thanks!'” Trump wrote.
North Korea routinely condemns joint U.S.-South Korean military drills, describing them as rehearsals for an invasion, according to Reuters.
Contributing: Reuters
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump instructs Pentagon to reduce military exercises with South Korea
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