Trump orders Pentagon to scale back joint exercises with South Korea

On 17 August 2026, Trump ordered the Pentagon to 'substantially' reduce joint military exercises with South Korea, hours before the Ulchi Freedom Shield drills were due to begin. He cited his 'very good relationship' with Kim Jong Un and called the drills 'inappropriate'. The BBC and the Times of Israel wrote that the move was tied to South Korea staying out of the Iran war.

South Korea said it would 'coordinate closely' with the US, and Nikkei Asia and TASS reported that the exercises were going ahead as planned. China also responded to Trump's order.