President Donald Trump has announced his intention to scale down military exercises in South Korea. In a social media post on Sunday, he explained that the drills were too costly and sent a "totally inappropriate and hostile" signal to North Korea leader Kim Jong Un.
The post comes at a pivotal time in South Korea-US relations. Trump announced the cut just one day before the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield, in which South Korean troops complete drills in collaboration with American soldiers. Around 28,500 Americans and 18,000 South Koreans take part.
In the post to Truth Social, Trump said he had a "very good relationship" with Kim Jong Un. Some analysts, as cited by South China Morning Post, believe Trump wants to hold talks with Kim again given North Korea's growing alignment with Russia and China. He held a summit with Kim in Hanoi in 2019.
“the relationship seems to have soured somewhat with Trump in charge”
The US has been an ally of South Korea for around 70 years. However, the relationship seems to have soured somewhat with Trump in charge. In the post, he said that he asked the South Korean President if the country would join the US in "the Denuclearization of the Islamic Republic of Iran." He was supposedly told: "No thanks."
Despite the news that the US will reduce its drills in South Korea, the chances of the North invading their Southern neighbors are low, according to Polymarket. The prediction market has the odds of an invasion at just 4% at the time of writing - that price has remained relatively steady since the beginning of the month.
In other related news, Trump posted an image to his Truth Social of him wearing a Trump 2028 hat, suggesting that he may make another run for the presidency in the next election. As per the 22nd Amendment, Trump cannot run for another term, but some believe that he can utilize a constitutional loophole to do so.