US President Donald Trump is facing growing criticism over his decision to substantially reduce joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea.
Several Democratic lawmakers accused Trump of weakening a longstanding alliance and sending the wrong signal to US allies and rivals.
Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, described the decision as “inane”, warning that it could suggest that US commitments to its allies are negotiable.
Reed said China and Russia would closely watch how the US treats its allies and could use the decision to assess Washington’s resolve in future confrontations.
Trump announced the policy on Sunday, saying he had ordered the Pentagon to significantly scale back military drills with South Korean forces. He linked the decision to his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korea’s refusal to join the US-Israel war against Iran.
Trump said he had asked South Korea whether it wanted to participate in efforts to denuclearise Iran, but Seoul declined.
The US and South Korea have maintained a major defence partnership for decades under the 1953 Mutual Defence Treaty. Their joint military exercises are considered an important part of efforts to deter North Korean aggression.
Democratic Senator Andy Kim also criticised Trump, saying decisions concerning joint military exercises should be made through consultation between Washington and Seoul rather than announced unilaterally on social media.
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal described the move as dangerous for regional stability and accused Trump of appearing to favour North Korea’s authoritarian leadership.
The decision has also drawn criticism from Republican Senator Thom Tillis, who argued that reducing the exercises could allow North Korea to free up troops to provide greater support to Russia in its war against Ukraine.
North Korea has continued developing its military capabilities and conducting missile tests despite pressure from the United States and its allies.
Trump previously held three meetings with Kim Jong Un between 2018 and 2019, but the diplomatic engagements failed to produce a lasting agreement on North Korea’s nuclear programme.
The latest decision comes as the Trump administration shifts greater US strategic attention away from the Asia-Pacific region, while Washington faces growing military and diplomatic pressures elsewhere.
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