Trump Cuts US-South Korea Military Drills

Is this a smart diplomatic move or a dangerous blow to American credibility in Asia?

Published 3 days ago

Trump Cuts US-South Korea Military Drills

story

Above: Donald Trump and Lee Jae Myung at the Gyeongju National Museum in Gyeongju, South Korea, on Oct. 29, 2025. Image credit: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

The Spin

Cutting joint military drills with South Korea is a smart diplomatic play — it signals that U.S. alliances come with real expectations. South Korea needs to step up on shared threats like Iran and denuclearization instead of free-riding on American military presence. Trump's direct engagement with North Korea opens doors that decades of stale exercises never could.

Laura Loomer on X

Stu Smith on X

Karen Kennedy on X

Scaling back military exercises with South Korea because of a so-called "good relationship" with Kim Jong Un is a dangerous trade — North Korea still has nukes, backs Russia's war in Ukraine and actively threatens U.S. allies. Undermining a 75-year alliance over a diplomatic brush-off pushes South Korea and Japan toward building their own nuclear arsenals. The long-term damage to American credibility in Asia could be irreversible.

Adam Kinzinger on X

Ron Filipkowski on X

Metaculus Prediction

There's a 22% chance that the United States will withdraw from any of its current mutual defense treaties by 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.