President Trump on Sunday directed Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to “reduce” joint military exercises with South Korea, citing his “very good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as the rationale.

The president stated he is “not happy” that the United States has long agreed to such exercises, which he described as “costly” and sending a “signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile” to South Korea. “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,” Trump explained.

He added: “While somewhat unrelated (?), I recently asked the President of South Korea if they would like to join us in the Denuclearization of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and they said, ‘No thanks!’”

Trump previously suspended major U.S.-South Korean military exercises following his 2018 summit with Kim Jong Un. That year’s Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise was canceled, and other drills were scaled back. Exercises were later redesigned and resumed in modified forms.

Last week, South Korean and U.S. military officials announced they would incorporate lessons drawn from North Korean troops’ increasing battlefield experience in Ukraine into this year’s exercises, including new drone tactics.

North Korea has deepened military ties with Russia since the two countries signed a comprehensive strategic partnership pact in June 2024, providing troops, artillery ammunition, and ballistic missiles to support Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

At a joint briefing, Col Ryan Donald, public affairs director for U.S.-led commands in South Korea, stated this year’s exercise scenario would reflect “drones, GPS disruption [and] cyber attacks,” threats linked directly to North Korean soldiers who have deployed in Ukraine as part of Russia’s military operations.

The timing of Trump’s directive has drawn attention: it comes one day before the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise begins, involving roughly 18,000 South Korean troops and about 28,500 U.S. service members stationed in South Korea.

Trump has not met with Kim Jong Un during his second term, though the two leaders met three times during his first term. In 2018, after a summit in Singapore, Trump commented: “We will be stopping the war games, which will save us a tremendous amount of money, unless and until we see the future negotiation is not going along like it should.”

North Korea reportedly fired ballistic missiles last week, which analysts view as a protest to the upcoming joint military exercises.