Trump Orders Cuts to South Korea Military Drills as North Korea Steps Up Missile Tests

On August 16, 2026, President Trump told the Pentagon to scale back joint U.S.–South Korea military drills, calling them "costly" and "inappropriate." The decision echoes his 2018 suspension of major exercises—made without North Korean concessions—but now comes as Pyongyang accelerates missile testing and Kim Jong Un pushes for rapid nuclear expansion.