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By Costas PitasReuters
President Donald Trump said Sunday on Truth Social he had instructed the Pentagon to substantially reduce joint military exercises with South Korea in a social media post that also mentions Seoul’s refusal to take part in actions against Iran
Trump said although it was too late to cancel the exercises, he was “not happy” that the United States had previously agreed to participate
The U.S. president also cited his “very good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un
“These exercises are not only costly … 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,” he wrote
Trump also pointed to South Korea’s stance on the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran
“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 wrote
The annual Ulchi Freedom Shield joint military drills are scheduled to run from Monday to Aug. 27
