Trump Orders Reduction of South Korea Military Drills as He Defends Relationship With Kim Jong Un

US President Donald Trump says he has ordered the Pentagon to 'substantially' scale back joint military drills with South Korea, arguing the exercises are costly and send the 'wrong signal' to North Korea as he defends his relationship with Kim Jong Un.

Writing on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, ahead of the drills' scheduled start on Monday, Trump praised his personal ties with the North Korean leader while criticising Seoul for declining to support US policy on Iran.

Costly Drills and a Public Rebuke for Seoul

The American and South Korean defence chiefs confirmed plans last week to stage their annual 11‑day Ulchi Freedom Shield command post exercise.

The drills, designed to test joint defence capabilities on the Korean peninsula, were expected to involve about 18,000 South Korean personnel in an operation matching the scale of previous years.

Trump said that although logistical preparations meant it was too late to cancel the exercises entirely, he was unhappy Washington had agreed to the operation.

The president highlighted what he described as the financial burden on the United States, pointing to the share of operational costs carried by Washington.

'These exercises are not only costly, with much of these costs paid for by the United States of America (as usual!), but send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile', Trump wrote on Sunday.

He said North Korea had remained unthreatening and respectful during his presidency, citing what he described as a 'very good' personal relationship with Kim.

Trump linked his decision on the South Korea drills to a recent disagreement with Seoul over Middle East policy. In the same social media statement, he said he had asked his South Korean counterpart to support US actions focused on the denuclearisation of Iran. According to Trump, Seoul declined the request.

Diplomats are now examining why the White House chose to connect security arrangements on the Korean peninsula with cooperation on Iran.

Missile Tests and Stalled Nuclear Talks

The presidential directive comes after a series of military developments in the region. Earlier this month, Pyongyang conducted ballistic missile tests that violate United Nations sanctions, with South Korea, the United States and Japan detecting a second launch within days of the first.

North Korea has expanded its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes since the collapse of summit diplomacy between Trump and Kim in 2019.

That period saw Trump become the first sitting US president to step across the border into North Korea seven years ago, though formal negotiations stalled without a lasting disarmament agreement.

Allied military commanders had presented this year's joint training as a response to emerging global security concerns, including North Korea sending troops to support Russia's war in Ukraine.

During a joint press briefing last week, US military spokesman Ryan Donald said the exercises were designed to account for returning battlefield veterans.

North Korea's foreign ministry criticised the planned drills on Friday, issuing a statement rejecting foreign threats and saying the regime would exercise its sovereign right to self‑defence.

With troops already mobilised across South Korea, it is not yet clear how commanders will implement the White House order in current operational plans.