Former President Trump announced a significant scaling back of joint military exercises with South Korea, attributing the decision to his “very good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Trump criticized the drills as costly and “inappropriate,” claiming North Korea has not acted threateningly during his presidency despite recent ballistic missile tests violating UN resolutions. He highlighted South Korea’s refusal to participate in efforts to denuclearize Iran, seemingly linking the two issues. This move reverses recent announcements from US and South Korean military leaders who anticipated an exercise of comparable size to previous years, involving roughly 18,000 South Korean and 28,500 US troops. Trump reiterated his positive personal rapport with Kim Jong-un, sharing a photo and expressing their ability to “get along VERY WELL!” The decision signals a potential shift in US policy toward North Korea.