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US military policy shifts in Asia and Middle East

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2026-08-17 01:30 UTC → 2026-08-17 01:40 UTC · added removed

President Donald Trump has ordered a substantial reduction in United States participation in the Pentagon to substantially reduce the scale of the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield joint military exercises with South Korea. The annual drills, involving approximately 18,000 South Korean soldiers, 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, citing Korea. He cited his “very good relationship” with Kim Jong Un as a primary reason for the scale-back. He scale-back, describing North Korea as unthreatening and respectful. Trump also expressed dissatisfaction with criticized the high costs of the maneuvers and maneuvers, noting that the United States bears a significant portion of the expenses. Furthermore, Trump linked the decision 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.

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  1. 2026-08-17 01:40 UTC US military policy shifts in Asia and Middle East
  2. 2026-08-17 01:30 UTC US military policy shifts in Asia and Middle East

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