Trump says US to scale back military drills with South Korea after it stayed out

[Karl_3000]

President Donald Trump has said the US will "substantially reduce" joint military exercises with South Korea, citing his "very good relationship" with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un.

He also said he told South Korea to help in denuclearization of Iran but South Korea said no.

These exercises are not only costly, with much of these costs paid for by the United States of America (as usual!), but send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Sunday.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2lll7zvn0o

[Oluwa-btc]

President Donald Trump has said the US will "substantially reduce" joint military exercises with South Korea, citing his "very good relationship" with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un.

He also said he told South Korea to help in denuclearization of Iran but South Korea said no.

These exercises are not only costly, with much of these costs paid for by the United States of America (as usual!), but send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Sunday.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2lll7zvn0o

Lmfao! South Koreans are now wise off course. They do not deem fighting for the empire a worthy and just cause. They're also making talks to establish peace between North Korea. Donald Trump will always say something to spread propaganda and control the markets lol.
Too many nations are already saying no to the unjust war cause harm to the global economy, this is a good sign and it gladdens my heart.
Iranians have no such intentions to build a nuclear weapon, he can keep on pushing this particular narrative over and over.

[caroasi]

This is quite an inconsistent position against smaller country nuclear weapon threats by Trump. This comes across to me as moody and unpredictable, perhaps the result of cognitive decline. Hopefully a lesson has been learned by the USA people regarding having people in office past the average age of death. Viewed alone, it would be reasonable, but the problem is the inconsistency and unpredictability of it. Ideally, this is Trump learning to be less aggressive after his clear over-reach into overt military aggression and expansionism.

[Dunamisx]

President Donald Trump has said the US will "substantially reduce" joint military exercises with South Korea, citing his "very good relationship" with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un.

He also said he told South Korea to help in denuclearization of Iran but South Korea said no.

These exercises are not only costly, with much of these costs paid for by the United States of America (as usual!), but send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Sunday.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2lll7zvn0o

When the United States of America renders you support, then expect them to also anticipate reciprocation from you, though I wouldn't blame them, because if you look at life entirely, we all do things in order to achieve our personal objectives which may be known to the recipient or not in some certain cases, but I hope there is much of the benefit all this will serve than the disadvantage to those involved.

[Smack That Ace]

Lmfao! South Koreans are now wise off course. They do not deem fighting for the empire a worthy and just cause. They're also making talks to establish peace between North Korea. Donald Trump will always say something to spread propaganda and control the markets lol.
Too many nations are already saying no to the unjust war cause harm to the global economy, this is a good sign and it gladdens my heart.
Iranians have no such intentions to build a nuclear weapon, he can keep on pushing this particular narrative over and over.

I don't think SouthKorea has become any wiser.  They are still the same, still a US vassal state in Asia, and it will be very difficult for them to stop depending on the US.

In my opinion, the reason the US is scaling back military drills with South Korea is a lack of funding. The war with Iran has cost them far more than expected and has exhausted their budget. Now they no longer have enough funding for large scale exercises with their allies. But Trump wouldn't dare admit that. The reason he gives, such as his good relationship with Kim Jong Un or South Korea refusing to support them in the war with Iran are just excuses to cover up the problem they are facing.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/08/04/politics/us-iran-key-missile-interceptors-low
https://abcnews.com/Politics/crucial-us-missile-stockpiles-extremely-low-official/story?id=135428997

[legiteum]

For the last 80 years in the USA, we have changed industrial policy to try to curb our key global rivals like China and Russia. Although we haven't been consistent with China, the US has always traded with them a lot less than they would other nations that are not a military threat. Lately, the US is investing very heavily and making very significant policy (viz. the TikTok situation) in order to secure our economy from a dangerous enemy.

Why bring this up?

BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT ALL OTHER NATIONS ARE GOING TO START DOING TO THE USA.

When every nation on Earth has to take into account that the US president might start an incredibly stupid war somewhere, and if they don't join him in the madness, they will find their own nation under attack either economically or militarily, then it's absolutely imperative that the country disconnects all dependencies from that country. It may cost them a lot, but they have no choice.

What Trump is saying to other countries right now is, in essence, "send your young men to die in my wars or I will economically and militarily ATTACK you".

This is hurting the USA right now, but it's going to get a LOT worse as the rest of the world changes the entire ways they do business. The reason American tech is dominant across the world is because every nation can safely use our products. Now that this situation has changed, our GDP will fall. The only question is how much.

There are three scenarios, all hinging on the upcoming US election cycles in November and in 2028:

Scenario 1: The Republicans are "slaughtered" and the US rejects them like the Germans rejected the Nazi party in 1946. In this scenario, we can recover our reputation and limit the damage.

Scenario 2: The Republicans are defeated, but only by a typical small margin, and they remain a viable party that may take power again. In this scenario, we would see a small reduction in damage, but the strategic direction will stay the same.

Scenario 3: The Republican narrowly win, democratically or otherwise. In this scenario, the rest of the world is assured that the US will be a malign nation for now on, using its military and other means of dominance (i.e. products) to extort economic and political concessions. Then the damage goes from bad to much, much worse.

The US cannot pay its debt obligations if it economically is isolated like China and Russia are. And the bond markets are going to figure this out long before the actual numbers start rolling in. That will jack up interest rates here, and could very well cause a death spiral of the US not being able to make its interest payments (to be clear, in our previous economic scenario before Trump, paying off our debt was perfectly manageable because our growth prospects were so incredibly strong).

[JeromeTash]

Donald Trump is a kiddish sore loser and this is just one of the examples 
I am not sure how the "greatest" country on the globe ended up with such a president.

On the positive side, I am glad more and more nations are having enough of the US bullying and colonial mindset. Each and every country should stay sovereign, away from external pressures and influence. The United States of America does not own the Earth, and the planet does not rotate around them. Maybe they need to be educated on that.

[legiteum]

On the positive side, I am glad more and more nations are having enough of the US bullying and colonial mindset. Each and every country should stay sovereign, away from external pressures and influence. The United States of America does not own the Earth, and the planet does not rotate around them. Maybe they need to be educated on that.

The problem is that without the protection of the US, many countries are going to need to spend vastly more money on their own defense, which will raise taxes and lower standards of living.

The alternative is that China will own the Earth instead.

[Doll2233]

Tension could be reduced if military exercise are reduced as part of diplomatic strategy but there are risk that it carries as well. These joint exercises between South Korea and United States are being done to maintain readiness and deter a possible attacks from North Korea. So reducing these exercises should not come at any cost of weakening security of South Korea. A good relationship with Kim Jong un is helpful if it produce progress towards stability and also toward denuclearisation. Military readiness and diplomacy can be used together to maintain peace

[Fiatless]

The problem is that without the protection of the US, many countries are going to need to spend vastly more money on their own defense, which will raise taxes and lower standards of living.

The alternative is that China will own the Earth instead.

US causes war and asks countries to pay for protection from the effects  .  Most Middle East countries have learned that US protection is useless because they have not been shielded from attacks. Many of them now want to negotiate with Iran because they now know that the power of the so-called protector is overestimated. Trump is made and threatened to attack a close ally because they want peace. Oman and the US have maintained a good relationship for close to two centuries; it might be coming to an end soon.

It is better to build your security system than to rely on a powerless ally whose actions constantly jeopardize the safety of your country. I guess many countries will choose rising tax than to be under the attack, insult, and oppression of a bully.

[legiteum]

The problem is that without the protection of the US, many countries are going to need to spend vastly more money on their own defense, which will raise taxes and lower standards of living.

The alternative is that China will own the Earth instead.

US causes war and asks countries to pay for protection from the effects  .  Most Middle East countries have learned that US protection is useless because they have not been shielded from attacks. Many of them now want to negotiate with Iran because they now know that the power of the so-called protector is overestimated. Trump is made and threatened to attack a close ally because they want peace. Oman and the US have maintained a good relationship for close to two centuries; it might be coming to an end soon.

It is better to build your security system than to rely on a powerless ally whose actions constantly jeopardize the safety of your country. I guess many countries will choose rising tax than to be under the attack, insult, and oppression of a bully.

Exactly. One could argue that this is going to at least double the amount of money the world spends on arms since now every single country in the world needs to have a powerful military like the US has.

Imagine if the New York City police department disbanded. Imagine the lines at the gun shops the day after that happened.