ABSTRACT

U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a substantial reduction in American participation in the Ulchi Freedom Shield joint military exercises with South Korea, citing his personal relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korea's refusal to join U.S. military action against Iran. The exercises, described by the Associated Press as an 11-day event and by TIME as a 10-day event, began as scheduled. Trump posted his announcement on Truth Social, and on Monday told reporters at the White House that he was making the Korean Peninsula 'much safer' by truncating what he called 'war games.'

TIME

Trump orders reduction of U.S. participation in South Korea military exercises, citing Kim Jong Un relationship and Seoul's Iran stance

Aug 17, 2026, 10:50 AM

Context

Trump stated on Truth Social that the exercises are 'not only costly … 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,' according to TIME. He added that Kim Jong Un had responded to his outreach, telling White House reporters on Monday: 'Kim Jong Un has always treated me with great respect. I understand him; he understands me,' according to the Japan Times.

South Korea's presidential Blue House said it remained in 'close coordination' with Washington regarding the drills, which had begun as 'previously notified and scheduled,' according to its defence ministry, per TIME. According to the Associated Press, it was not known which specific parts of the training were being scaled back.

On Monday, Trump posted a photo of Kim Jong Un speaking on a phone with the caption: 'HEY DONALD ... WE COOL, RIGHT?' according to the Associated Press.

According to TIME, since Trump re-entered office North Korea has conducted 24 ballistic missile tests alongside numerous cruise missile and air-defense firings, including a launch the previous Wednesday. TIME also reports that North Korea has dispatched more than 14,000 troops, artillery ammunition, and ballistic missiles to support Russia's war in Ukraine following a June 2024 strategic partnership with Moscow, and that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned Kim is preparing to deploy 30,000 more troops.

According to TIME, South Korean and U.S. military commanders had planned to use the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises to adapt to battlefield tactics observed from North Korean forces in Ukraine, including drone swarm integration, electronic GPS jamming, and coordinated cyber warfare. Col. Ryan Donald, public affairs director for U.S.-led commands in South Korea, told reporters: 'They've taken those lessons learned there and brought them back to North Korea—that changes their capability. That is why the exercise looks different and over the last five years has continually evolved.'

According to TIME, Daniel Pinkston, an international relations expert at Troy University in Seoul, said North Korea has a long history of providing Iran with technical assistance, including 'building turnkey factories, technology design, production capabilities, tactics.' TIME reports that North Korean missile designs formed the basis for several Iranian ballistic missile programs and that North Korean engineers assisted Iran with hardened military infrastructure.

According to the Associated Press, polls show South Koreans have increasingly supported pursuing their own nuclear weapons capability. Matthew Kroenig, formerly of defense and intelligence positions under both parties and now with the Atlantic Council, said the U.S. has been working to persuade South Korea it is protected, and that scaling back the exercises 'potentially undermines that message.' Retired U.S. Ambassador Robert Wood similarly said the exercises are critical to deterring North Korea, which has shunned talks with the U.S. over its nuclear program and has accelerated weapons testing.

According to the Associated Press, the decision drew immediate criticism from congressional Democrats. Representative Greg Meeks of New York, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said: 'Treating one of America's closest allies like an adversary weakens our alliances and benefits China and North Korea.'

All Perspectives

President Donald Trump: Trump stated the exercises are costly and 'send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile' to North Korea, which he described as unthreatening and respectful during his presidency. He cited his 'very good relationship with Kim Jong Un' and South Korea's refusal to join his war against Iran as reasons for the reduction. He told reporters he was making the Korean Peninsula 'much safer' and said: 'Kim Jong Un has always treated me with great respect. I understand him; he understands me.'

South Korea (Blue House / Defence Ministry): South Korea's presidential Blue House said it remained in 'close coordination' with Washington regarding the drills, which had begun as 'previously notified and scheduled,' according to its defence ministry.

Dan Fried, former Assistant Secretary of State (Bush administration): 'There is no American interest that I can see in this. On all levels it makes no sense. It undermines the South Koreans, undermines the Japanese, frightens the Taiwanese, unnerves NATO and emboldens the Chinese, not to mention the North Koreans.' Fried also said Trump seems unwilling to 'take a win' after allies increased defense spending, adding: 'It's like he wants to burn it all down.'

Danny Russel, former Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia (Obama administration): Russel, now a scholar at the Asia Society Policy Institute, said Trump's decision to side with North Korea is 'firmly in the hard-to-see-how-it-could-be-worse category.' He said: 'It is tragically upside-down. Trump is punishing an ally while encouraging an adversary. He is protecting Kim Jong Un's sensitive feelings from an unfriendly signal at the expense of U.S.-South Korean security.'

Rep. Greg Meeks, top Democrat on House Foreign Affairs Committee: 'Treating one of America's closest allies like an adversary weakens our alliances and benefits China and North Korea.'

Retired U.S. Ambassador Robert Wood: Wood, who served under both Republican and Democratic presidents, said the joint military exercises are critical to deterring North Korea, which has shunned talks with the U.S. over its nuclear program and has accelerated weapons testing. He added: 'We also don't want South Korea to draw the conclusion that a nuclear weapons capability is the only guarantee it has to ensure its security.'

Matthew Kroenig, Atlantic Council (formerly defense and intelligence roles): Kroenig noted that polls show South Koreans have increasingly supported the idea of pursuing their own nuclear weapons, and that the U.S. has been working hard to persuade South Korea it is protected. Scaling back the exercises 'potentially undermines that message,' he said.

Charles Kupchan, Council on Foreign Relations (formerly NSC under Clinton and Obama): Kupchan said the scaling back may prompt longtime allies to think more about their own security without U.S. help, noting they 'have to at least contemplate the idea that Uncle Sam won't be there for them.' He acknowledged Trump is not wrong to want allies to contribute more to defense, but said his unpredictable approach 'cuts through the solidarity that undergirds those alliances.' He also noted that, as of the time of reporting, Trump has left intact U.S. forward bases and core alliance relationships.

John Herbst, former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine (Bush administration): Herbst said the Korea decision shows how inconsistent the Trump administration can be in its policy pronouncements, but that the U.S. has generally maintained long-term alliances. He warned: 'If these things grow in frequency and in importance, obviously we will be in the process of taking apart the alliance system, which has served us so well since the end of World War II.'

Col. Ryan Donald, public affairs director, U.S.-led commands in South Korea: 'They've taken those lessons learned there and brought them back to North Korea—that changes their capability. That is why the exercise looks different and over the last five years has continually evolved.' Donald was explaining why commanders had planned to use the exercises to adapt to battlefield tactics observed from North Korean forces in Ukraine.

Daniel Pinkston, international relations expert, Troy University Seoul: 'The North Koreans provided Iran with technical assistance, building turnkey factories, technology design, production capabilities, tactics—those kinds of things. Technological agreements and high-level scientific visits go back years.'

Position not represented in the source reporting: North Korea / Kim Jong Un (central party whose government's stated position or official response is absent from all sources).

Where sources differ

The AP describes the Ulchi Freedom Shield as an 11-day exercise; TIME describes it as a 10-day exercise. Neither source explains the discrepancy.
TIME characterizes the decision as dealing 'a severe blow to American alliance credibility,' reflecting an editorial framing not fully shared by the AP, which quotes some former officials who note that U.S. forward bases and core alliance relationships remain intact as of the time of reporting.

Gaps & Unknowns

It is not established which specific components of the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises are being scaled back or by how much U.S. troop or asset participation is being reduced.
The sources do not report any direct comment from North Korea or Kim Jong Un on the decision or on the reported response to Trump's outreach.
The nature and content of Kim Jong Un's reported response to Trump's outreach is not detailed in any source.
The sources do not establish whether the South Korean government lodged any formal protest or made any direct public criticism of Trump's decision.
The precise number of U.S. forces involved in the exercises and the scale of the reduction are not specified.
The sources do not establish what, if any, diplomatic communications preceded Trump's announcement.
The reaction of Japan, Taiwan, or other regional allies beyond the statements of former U.S. officials is not reported.
The discrepancy in exercise duration (11 days per AP, 10 days per TIME) is not explained.

Sources & Further Reading

Associated Press — original — by https://apnews.com/author/ben-finley
The Japan Times — by Jesse Johnson
TIME — by Charlie Campbell

Read the original at Associated Press

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