Topline
President Donald Trump on Sunday evening touted his “good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and ordered the Pentagon to reduce the scope of the planned joint military drills with South Korea, which began on Monday.
Key Facts
In a post on Truth Social, Trump noted that he was unhappy with the U.S. military’s participation in Joint Military Exercises with South Korea based on his “very good relationship with Kim Jong Un.”
The president criticized the cost of such exercises—which he claimed are mostly paid by the U.S.—and echoed Pyongyang’s argument that they send a signal that is “totally inappropriate and hostile.”
Trump claimed that during his presidency North Korea has been “unthreatening and respectful” to the U.S.
The president said it was too late to cancel the exercises which began on Monday, but noted he had ordered Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to “substantially reduce.”
While claiming that it was “unrelated,” Trump appeared to signal that his decision to scale back the drills was a result of his displeasure over the South Korean President’s purported refusal to support him in the Iran war.
What Has North Korea Said About The Drills?
The key annual joint military drill, Ulchi Freedom Shield, began on Monday and is scheduled to run till August 27. Earlier this month, North Korea carried out at least two ballistic missile launches which were seen as a protest against the planned exercises. Although they are conducted annually every summer, along with the springtime Freedom Shield drills, North Korea has repeatedly protested against such drills, calling them provocative. Last week, North Korea’s Foreign Ministry described the planned drill as a “rehearsal for an aggressive war.” Pyongyang claimed this year’s drills are of a “more serious provocative nature and dangerousness than last year.”
What Has Kim Jong Un Said About Trump And The U.S.?
Speaking at the annual gathering of his Workers’ Party in February, Kim Jong Un said there was no reason North Korea “cannot get on well with the U.S.” However, for that to happen, Kim noted that Washington must respect North Korea’s status as a nuclear power, as this was something that is “completely and absolutely irreversible.” Kim also said the U.S. must “withdraw its hostile policy” towards the country, adding that the prospect of dialogue “depends entirely on the attitude of the U.S. side.” Last year, while addressing the country’s Supreme People’s Assembly, Kim said: “I still have fond memories of the current President of the United States, [Donald] Trump.” He then added: “If the United States abandons its absurd obsession with denuclearizing us, acknowledges reality, and seeks genuine peaceful coexistence, there is no reason for us not to sit down with the United States.”