Trump cuts US South Korea military drills over North Korea tensions

South Korean protesters hold placards as they attend a rally to oppose the joint military exercise between South Korea and the US named Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS), in front of the US embassy in Seoul on August 17, 2026. South Korea's defence ministry said on August 17, that its joint military exercise with the United States has started after President Donald Trump's announcement it would be scaled back.

US President Donald Trump said he ordered the Pentagon to scale back "inappropriate and hostile" military drills with South Korea, hours before the exercises began on Monday.

Trump cited his "good relationship" with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and said he was unhappy about the drills that are designed to prepare for a possible attack by Pyongyang.

South Korea's presidential office said it remained in "close coordination" with Washington on the exercises, while the defence ministry said the manoeuvres had kicked off as "previously notified and scheduled".

"Based on my very good relationship with Kim Jong Un, of North Korea, I am not happy with the fact that the United States has, long ago, agreed to participate in Joint Military Exercises with South Korea," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

"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, to a Country that, as long as Donald J. Trump has been President, has been unthreatening and respectful," he added.

As it was too late to cancel the drills, Trump said he had ordered Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to "substantially reduce" them.

North Korea has not responded publicly to the statements, though it has consistently voiced anger at the regular exercises.

The 11-day manoeuvres come as Pyongyang and Moscow have grown closer, with the North providing military support -- including ground troops -- for Russia's war against Ukraine.

Colonel Ryan Donald, spokesman for the US and South Korean Combined Forces Command, had said the drills would simulate combat against North Korean troops battle-hardened by deployment in the Russia-Ukraine war.

South Korea's presidential office said in a statement to AFP that Seoul and Washington "have maintained close coordination on maintaining a firm combined defence posture and on their joint exercises and training, and will continue to coordinate closely".

It said it hoped the personal chemistry between Trump and Kim would bring them back to talks.

The office "hopes that the friendly relationship between the leaders of the United States and North Korea will lead to meaningful dialogue", it said.

After test-firing a ballistic missile over the Sea of Japan as a sign of its opposition to the exercises, Pyongyang warned on Friday it could respond with a "new level of deterrent".