U.S.-South Korea joint military drills are cut short after surprise Trump order
President Trump has ordered a reduction in the scale and duration of joint U.S.-South Korea military exercises, citing his positive relationship with Kim Jong Un. The move aims to preserve readiness while potentially opening doors for future diplomatic negotiations.
Why it matters
This decision reflects a shift in U.S. foreign policy and military posture in the Asia-Pacific region regarding North Korea.
Joint military exercises underway between the United States and South Korea are being cut short, both countries said, after President Donald Trump ordered that they be reduced and cited his “very good” relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The surprise announcement drew suggestions that Trump may want to revive his bid to strike a grand bargain with Kim over his isolated regime’s nuclear arsenal. Trump is open to a new meeting with Kim at the “appropriate time,” a White House official told NBC News, but no date has been set and no formal planning has started on a potential visit. The president is expected to travel to Asia this fall to attend several summits, including the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation gathering in Shenzhen, China, in November, but it’s unclear whether any possible meeting would be set up around that timeframe.
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