Trump’s move to gut South Korea alliance is ‘inane, haphazard decision’, lawmakers say

US president’s abrupt order to scale back joint exercises with Seoul is meant to ‘flatter’ North Korea’s dictator, top Democrat says Donald Trump’s move to gut Washington’s 73-year-old military alliance with Seoul has been called “inane” and “shortsighted” as lawmakers warned it risked strengthening Russia’s hand in Ukraine. The US president abruptly ordered the Pentagon to scale back joint exercises with South Korea just days after North Korea test-fired ballistic missiles, justifying the decision by citing his “very good relationship” with Kim Jong-un, the nuclear-armed dictator such exercises exist to deter. Trump announced the order on social media, directing the US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, to scale back Ulchi Freedom Shield, an 11-day exercise due to run from 17 to 27 August involving about 18,000 South Korean troops rehearsing scenarios including missile strikes, drone incursions and cyber-attacks. Trump framed the decision as a courtesy to Kim, writing that the drills “send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile” to a country he described as “unthreatening and respectful”, despite North Korea’s continued missile testing