Trump’s Exercise Cut Risks Turning South Korea-US Alliance Readiness Into a Bargaining Chip – The Diplomat
Hours before South Korea and the United States began Ulchi Freedom Shield on August 17, U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to “substantially reduce” the exercise. He called the drills “costly” and an “inappropriate and hostile” signal to North Korea, emphasized his “very good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and linked…