What did the Pentagon say about Trump’s order to reduce South Korea-U.S. drills?

A Pentagon official said the Defense Department is actively working on executing the Commander-in-Chief’s directive. The statement came after Trump ordered a substantial reduction in the allies’ exercises.

When does Ulchi Freedom Shield run and what is its purpose?

The annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise began Monday, Seoul time, and is set to continue through Aug. 27. It is meant to strengthen the allies’ ability to respond to North Korean aggression and to test Seoul’s capacity to lead combined forces as part of wartime operational control transfer efforts.

Why did Trump call the South Korea-U.S. drills costly and hostile?

In a Sunday Truth Social post, Trump said the drills are costly and send a totally inappropriate and hostile signal to North Korea. He said he had ordered the Pentagon to substantially reduce them.

Pentagon says it is 'actively working on executing' Trump's directive on S. Korea-US drills

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Summary

The Pentagon said it is actively working on executing Donald Trump’s directive to reduce South Korea-U.S. military drills in Washington on Monday. Trump had ordered a substantial cut in the exercises, including the ongoing Ulchi Freedom Shield drill, which began Monday in South Korea and runs through Aug. 27. The move raised speculation about possible changes to the allied exercises amid concerns over deterrence against North Korea. The White House did not immediately respond.

Key Facts

Trump said on Truth Social that he had instructed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to scale back the joint exercises with South Korea.
The Pentagon first said it had no changes to announce regarding Ulchi Freedom Shield before issuing an updated statement.
Ulchi Freedom Shield began Monday in Seoul time and is scheduled to run through Aug. 27.
The exercise is intended to reinforce allied capabilities against possible North Korean aggression and test Seoul’s ability to lead combined forces for wartime operational control transfer.

By Yonhap

Published Aug 18, 2026 3:02 am KST
Updated Aug 18, 2026 6:50 am KST

Black Hawk helicopters sit at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Monday, as South Korea and the United States began their annual Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) joint military exercise aimed at defending the Korean Peninsula in the event of a contingency. Yonhap

WASHINGTON — A Pentagon official said Monday that the U.S. Defense Department is "actively" working on executing U.S. President Donald Trump's directive on South Korea-U.S. military exercises, a day after Trump said he has ordered the Pentagon to "substantially" reduce the allies' drills.

In a social media post, Trump said he has instructed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to scale back the joint military exercises in what was seen as a conciliatory gesture toward North Korea, just as Seoul and Washington kicked off their annual Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise in South Korea.

"The Department of War is actively working on executing the Commander-in-Chief's directive," an official from the department said in an "updated" statement on UFS and other bilateral exercises with South Korea.

Hours earlier, the Pentagon said that it had no changes to announce regarding UFS, referring questions about Trump's comments or the broader scope of his policy direction to the White House.

The updated statement raised speculation that the allied drills would be reduced despite concerns that such a move could affect efforts to strengthen deterrence against North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile threats, which have been exacerbated by deepening cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow.

The ongoing UFS exercise kicked off on Monday (Seoul time) and is set to run through Aug. 27. It is intended to reinforce the allies' capabilities against potential North Korean aggression and test Seoul's capability to lead combined forces as part of efforts to transfer wartime operational control from the U.S. to South Korea.

The White House did not respond immediately to questions on Trump's directive.

In Sunday's Truth Social post, Trump announced his directive, noting that the drills are not only "costly" but also send a "totally inappropriate and hostile" signal to the North.

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