President Donald Trump has directed the Pentagon to scale back joint military drills with South Korea, describing them as costly and provocative toward North Korea, according to CNBC.
President Donald Trump has instructed the Pentagon to cut back military drills conducted with South Korea, according to CNBC, signaling a potential recalibration of one of Washington’s longest-standing security partnerships in Asia.
The directive was issued last Sunday, CNBC reported. Trump characterized the joint exercises as “costly” and said they send “inappropriate and hostile” signals to North Korea.
The framing points to a broader effort to redefine U.S.-South Korea ties, moving the relationship away from an emphasis on military cooperation and toward economic considerations, as reflected in the reporting.
Joint drills have historically been a central feature of the alliance between the two countries. A decision to scale them back marks a notable change in how the partnership is presented and prioritized.
The reasoning cited by Trump combines cost concerns with the diplomatic message the exercises convey to North Korea, according to CNBC’s account of his instruction to the Pentagon.
Why it matters
The U.S.-South Korea alliance has been anchored by joint military exercises for decades, so scaling them back could reshape regional security dynamics. How the relationship is redefined may affect both defense posture in Asia and economic ties between the two nations.