Trump says "too late to cancel" joint military exercises
“Based on the fact that it is too late to cancel, I have instructed Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to substantially reduce the Joint Military Exercises!”
— Donald Trump, President
Reported August 17, 2026 by investmentwatchblog.com. Checked word for word against that report.
✦ Summary · August 17, 2026 AI-written summary of the news — not a direct quote
President Trump announced he has ordered a significant reduction in joint military drills with South Korea, stating the exercises send an inappropriate and hostile message to North Korea. He cited his positive relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as a reason for this decision. Trump also mentioned South Korea's refusal to participate in operations concerning Iran. The President indicated that the drills, which he deemed too late to fully cancel, were being scaled back by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
1 source on record
- investmentwatchblog.com ↗︎17 AUG 2026