U.S. and South Korea truncate joint drills after President Trump's directive

The United States and South Korea announced that the Ulchi Freedom Shield joint military exercises will conclude on Aug. 21, five days earlier than planned, after President Donald Trump ordered a reduction, citing his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

A Defense Department official said live-training events have been cut or converted to simulations, but the changes will not affect U.S. training objectives. The South Korean Ministry of National Defense confirmed that the two sides have agreed, at the U.S. request, to adjust the duration and scale of the exercise and are consulting on the details.

South Korean Foreign Affairs Minister Cho Hyun told lawmakers that neither the South Korean government nor U.S. officials had prior knowledge of Trump’s order. He said the South Korean defense minister had been in close consultation with U.S. counterparts since the president’s social-media post.

The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise, involving about 28,000 U.S. troops, is intended to enhance combined defense readiness against a range of security threats, chiefly North Korea’s advancing missile and nuclear programs. North Korea has historically condemned the drills as rehearsals for invasion.

President Trump said the exercises sent a “totally inappropriate and hostile” message to North Korea and claimed they had been “unthreatening and respectful” during his tenure. He told reporters the reduction would make the region “much safer” and said he understood Kim Jong Un’s perspective, though no details were provided. North Korean state media has not responded to the latest U.S. decision.