WASHINGTON — The U.S. military is ceasing annual large-scale joint exercises with South Korea, two U.S. officials said Friday, after the Trump administration deemed them too expensive.
Rather than conduct the exercises — code-named Key Resolve and Foal Eagle — the U.S. military will hold smaller exercises focused on training U.S. and allied partners, the officials said.
‘I was telling the generals — I said: Look, you know, exercising is fun, and it’s nice and they play the war games. And I’m not saying it’s not necessary, because at some levels it is, but at other levels it’s not. But it’s a very, very expensive thing.’ President Donald Trump
The Pentagon plans to announce the end of the exercises over the coming weekend. NBC News first reported on the decision.
An expanded version of this report appears at WSJ.com.
Key Words: Otto Warmbier’s parents respond publicly to Trump’s statement that he takes North Korea’s Kim ‘at his word’
Trending at WSJ.com:
Key moments and new allegations in Cohen’s testimony before House panel
Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu denies corruption charges
