President Donald Trump cast new doubt Wednesday on the future of U.S.-South Korea military exercises, which were suspended earlier this year to smooth the way for now-stalled denuclearization talks with North Korea.
Trump said in a Twitter message Wednesday that “there is no reason at this time to be spending large amounts of money on joint U.S.-South Korea war games.”
“Besides, the president can instantly start the joint exercises again with South Korea, and Japan, if he so chooses,” he said. “If he does, they will be far bigger than ever before.” The post, written in the third person, was titled “Statement From the White House.”
A day earlier, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said the U.S. doesn’t plan to suspend any further military exercises with South Korea. But he also said no decision had yet been made on conducting another large set of maneuvers next year.
An expanded version of this report appears on WSJ.com.
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