Trump cites Kim's 'great respect' as Pentagon trims South Korea war games
Trump says Kim Jong Un treats him with 'great respect' as he orders the Pentagon to scale back annual drills with South Korea.
President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to scale back the annual joint military exercises conducted with South Korea, a move announced on Monday. The President linked the decision to his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, stating that Kim has always treated him with "great respect."
Trump also indicated that South Korea would not be contributing to the ongoing war effort against Iran, a factor in his reasoning for reducing the scope of the military drills. The remarks were made in Washington, DC, where the President addressed the matter directly.
The scaling back of the exercises marks a notable shift in the longstanding US-South Korea military alliance, which has traditionally relied on large-scale joint training to maintain readiness on the Korean Peninsula. The President's comments suggest that his personal rapport with the North Korean leader is a key consideration in the decision-making process.
Further details regarding the specific drills affected or the timeline for the reduction were not immediately available.