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NewsWPLG Local 10 – Main FeedAugust 17, 2026Miami-Dade

President Trump orders Pentagon to reduce joint military exercises with South Korea

President Trump has directed the Pentagon to scale back annual joint military exercises with South Korea, citing the ally's refusal to assist in operations against Iran and his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The order follows the deployment of the USS George Washington to the Middle East, leaving the western Pacific without a U.S. aircraft carrier.

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Why It Matters

The reduction in military exercises and the redeployment of naval assets shift U.S. defense posture in the Pacific region while increasing resources for operations in the Middle East.

Key Facts

  • President Trump ordered the Pentagon to substantially reduce joint military exercises with South Korea.
  • The exercises began on Monday.
  • The USS George Washington is being redeployed from the Pacific to the Middle East to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln.
  • The USS Abraham Lincoln's deployment was extended beyond its original May return date.
  • The BBC has filed a request in Florida federal court to obtain testimony and documents from Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, and Donald Trump, Jr. for a defamation lawsuit.
  • The defamation lawsuit seeks $10 billion in damages regarding a 2024 documentary about a Jan. 6, 2021 speech.
  • President Trump attributed damage to grass on the National Mall near the World War II Memorial to vandals following July 4 festivities.

Who's Mentioned

personKim Jong Un“Leader of North Korea”locationFlorida“Location of federal court filing”personJared Kushner“Subject of BBC subpoena request”organizationBBC“Defendant in defamation lawsuit”personPete Hegseth“Secretary of War”otherUSS Abraham Lincoln“U.S. aircraft carrier”personDonald Trump, Jr.“Subject of BBC subpoena request”otherUSS George Washington“U.S. aircraft carrier”personIvanka Trump“Subject of BBC subpoena request”personDonald Trump“President of the United States”