Trump orders Pentagon chief to cut number of joint military exercises with South Korea

US President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon on Sunday to scale back planned joint military exercises with South Korea after the Republican president said Seoul had declined to help denuclearise Iran. Trump said in a social media post that the exercises that are under way are costly and “send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile” to North Korea. Trump said Pyongyang “has been unthreatening and respectful” while he has been in the White House.