Trump orders the Pentagon to scale back joint military exercises with South Korea

President Trump on Sunday ordered the Pentagon to scale back joint military exercises with South Korea, saying they were costly and sending a completely inappropriate and hostile signal to North Korea. Trump said on social media that the number of exercises scheduled to start this week would be significantly reduced, noting that South Korea's president had rejected an offer to work with the United States to denuclearize Iran. The exercise involved 18000 South Korean soldiers and was designed to enhance its ability to respond to North Korean threats. North Korea has said it will take strict measures in response, saying the U.S. -South Korea military exercises are rehearsals for a war of aggression and exacerbating regional instability.