# US military policy shifts in Asia and Middle East

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/us-military-policy-shifts-in-asia-and-middle-east
> Updated: 2026-08-16T23:04:21.000Z. Sources: 155. Developments: 2.

President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to substantially reduce the scale of the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield joint military exercises with South Korea. The drills, scheduled for August 17 to August 27, were originally designed to counter threats such as drones, cyberattacks, and GPS disruption.

Announcing the decision via Truth Social, Trump characterized the exercises as sending a “totally inappropriate and hostile” signal to North Korea. He cited his “very good relationship” with Kim Jong Un as a primary reason for the scale-back, describing North Korea as unthreatening and respectful. Trump also criticized the high costs of the maneuvers, noting that the United States bears a significant portion of the expenses.

Furthermore, Trump linked the reduction to South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s refusal to join U.S. efforts regarding the denuclearization of Iran. While noting it was too late to cancel the drills entirely, Trump instructed Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to implement significant reductions. South Korea’s Ministry of Defence indicated that the exercises, which involve approximately 18,000 South Korean soldiers, would proceed as previously scheduled.

In a related development, Trump suggested that following a defeat of Iran, he would declare the Strait of Hormuz a territory of the United States, claiming the U.S. currently maintains a blockade that controls ship transit. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi rejected these claims as “delusional,” asserting that Iran maintains sole authority over the strait.

## Claims

- President Trump characterized the joint military exercises as costly and a hostile signal to North Korea. (corroborated by 27 sources)
- Donald Trump ordered the Department of Defense to significantly scale back joint military exercises with South Korea. (corroborated by 25 sources)
- Trump claimed South Korea refused a request to participate in the denuclearization of Iran. (corroborated by 24 sources)
- Trump cited his excellent relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as a reason for the reduction. (corroborated by 22 sources)
- The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises were scheduled to begin on August 17. (corroborated by 22 sources)
- Trump instructed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to scale back the exercises because it was too late to cancel them. (corroborated by 20 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-08-16: Trump proposes Hormuz Strait claim and orders reduced military drills with South Korea

President Trump has proposed claiming the Strait of Hormuz as US territory and ordered a reduction in joint military exercises with South Korea, citing a desire to avoid hostility toward North Korea.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/trump-proposes-hormuz-strait-claim-and-orders-reduced-military-drills-with-south-korea

### 2026-08-16: Trump orders reduction of US-South Korea military exercises

President Donald Trump has ordered a substantial reduction in joint military exercises with South Korea, citing high costs and a desire to maintain his positive relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un

152 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/trump-orders-reduction-of-joint-military-exercises-with-south-korea

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Cite as: US military policy shifts in Asia and Middle East. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/us-military-policy-shifts-in-asia-and-middle-east