Donald Trump Orders ‘Substantial’ Cutback of US-South Korea Military Drills Over Iran Snub, Kim Jong Un Ties
US President Donald Trump on Sunday directed the Pentagon to significantly scale back the Ulchi Freedom Shield joint military exercises with South Korea, linking the decision to Seoul's refusal to back Washington's push to 'denuclearise' Iran and citing his personal rapport with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
US President Donald Trump on Sunday directed the Pentagon to significantly scale back the Ulchi Freedom Shield joint military exercises with South Korea, linking the decision to Seoul's refusal to back Washington's push to "denuclearise" Iran and citing his personal rapport with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Trump Cites North Korea Relationship, Iran Refusal
Taking to social media, Trump said the drills, which were set to begin this week, send a message that is "totally inappropriate and hostile" toward North Korea, a country he described as having stayed cooperative and courteous throughout his presidency.
Trump Orders Cutback Of US-South Korea Military Drills, Cites Kim Jong Un Ties
BREAKING: Trump orders Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to reduce US-South Korea joint military exercises, saying they are 'inappropriate and hostile' to North Korea, adding he has a 'very good relationship with Kim Jong Un'. pic.twitter.com/QBpKuvyGU0
— The Spectator Index (@spectatorindex) August 16, 2026
He said it was too late to call off the exercises entirely, so he had directed Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to cut them down substantially. Trump also revealed he had recently asked South Korea's president to join US efforts targeting Iran's nuclear programme, but the offer was turned down. Donald Trump Announces up to 100% Tariffs on Drone Imports, Citing National Security.
What The Ulchi Freedom Shield Drills Involve
The 11-day exercise involves roughly 18,000 South Korean troops and is designed to sharpen the allies' preparedness against North Korean threats, according to AP. The US military has said the drills include layered joint operations such as live-fire drills, precision targeting, manoeuvres, a wet-gap river crossing, and the rollout of pre-positioned military hardware.
North Korea had already blasted the drills on Friday, branding them a rehearsal for an aggressive war and warning of unspecified retaliatory steps against Washington and Seoul. The exercises come just days after Pyongyang restarted ballistic missile testing, with South Korea, the US, and Japan tracking a short-range missile launch earlier this month, marking North Korea's first such test since late June. Donald Trump Says US Will Declare Strait of Hormuz ‘US Territory’ After Iran War Ends.
Trump Praises Saudi-Turkey-Pakistan Defence Pact As 'Big, Bold' Step
In a separate post on Truth Social, Trump also welcomed the newly inked defence agreement between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, describing it as an important early move toward regional self-reliance.
He said he was glad to see the three countries had finally signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, adding that it demonstrated how the Middle East is coming together and how nations in the region will be better positioned to defend themselves going forward. Trump called it a "big, bold, and important first step", expressing enthusiasm over the development.
The trilateral pact was signed at a joint defence summit attended by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, with the goal of deepening security cooperation among the three nations.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 17, 2026 07:11 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
