Why did Trump scale back war games with South Korea?

US president cites good relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un

PoliticsAugust 17, 2026News Info Wire1 min read

Key points

Jenny Town – Senior Fellow and Director of 38 North programme at the Stimson Center.
In Bum Chun – Retired South Korean Lieutenant General and military and security analyst.
Donald Trump says they send an inappropriate and hostile signal to North Korea and its leader, with whom he has…
So, does Trump’s last-minute decision mean he’s seeking talks with Kim Jong Un?.

Video Duration 28 minutes 10 seconds 28:10

U.S. president cites good relationship with Kim Jong Un

Annual military manoeuvres between South Korea and the United States are underway.

But just hours before they were due to start, the US president announced that he had ordered the Pentagon to substantially scale back the exercises.

Donald Trump says they send an inappropriate and hostile signal to North Korea and its leader, with whom he has a ‘good relationship’.

The joint drills have been held for decades.

So, does Trump’s last-minute decision mean he’s seeking talks with Kim Jong Un?

Could dialogue end one of the world’s longest-running conflicts?

Presenter: Anna Burns-Francis

Guests:

In Bum Chun – Retired South Korean Lieutenant General and military and security analyst

Jenny Town – Senior Fellow and Director of 38 North programme at the Stimson Center

Rodger Baker — Geopolitical analyst at RANE, a global centre for geopolitical intelligence and analysis

Published On 17 Aug 202617 Aug 2026