Donald Trump, with the aim of reducing tensions with North Korea, ordered that the scope of joint U.S.–South Korea drills be dramatically reduced.

In a post on Truth Social, he referred to Seoul’s opposition to joining Washington’s actions for the nuclear disarmament of the Islamic Republic, although he described these two issues as “somewhat unrelated.”

The U.S. president said he is not pleased with Washington’s participation in joint drills with South Korea, because in addition to their high cost, they send a “wrong and hostile” message to Pyongyang.

Trump added that since it was too late to cancel the drills, he had ordered Pete Hegseth, the U.S. Secretary of War, to dramatically reduce their scale. He described North Korea as a country that, during his time in office, did not pose a threat and behaved respectfully.

Trump also wrote that he recently asked the President of South Korea whether that country is willing to join the United States in the nuclear disarmament of the Islamic Republic, and Seoul, in response, said: “No, thank you.” He did not provide further details about the nature of the proposed actions against Tehran.