The Trump administration has ordered the Pentagon to reduce military exercises with South Korea, a decision that has drawn sharp criticism from Democratic and Republican lawmakers alike. The move comes as military officials from both nations have warned that North Korean forces are gaining combat experience by assisting Russia in Ukraine, including learning advanced drone tactics.
Senator Jack Reed, a top Democrat, characterized the decision as another poorly considered choice by the administration. Republican Senator Thom Tillis also expressed strong disapproval, arguing that scaling back joint drills with a long-standing military partner undermines regional security and effectively allows North Korean troops to be deployed elsewhere, including potentially to support Russian operations in Ukraine.
When questioned about the reduction in drills, Trump indicated that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had positively responded to his diplomatic outreach, though he provided no specifics about the nature or status of ongoing communications. Trump emphasized his personal relationship with Kim, citing previous meetings and conversations during his earlier presidency, but did not elaborate on what stage current discussions had reached.
The scaling back of exercises follows recent ballistic missile tests by North Korea, raising questions among defense analysts about whether the timing and logic of the decision adequately address regional military threats.
Originally reported by Theguardian →
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