Mark Kelly Demands Reversal of Cuts to Joint Military Exercises with South Korea

Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) teamed up in a joint letter to President Donald Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth demanding the reversal of cuts to joint exercises with South Korea.

The Context

On Monday, Trump announced that joint exercises with South Korea would be reduced in scale, citing them as "inappropriate and hostile," since he has a "good relationship" with Kim Jong Un, the dictator of North Korea.

"Based on my very good relationship with Kim Jong Un of North Korea, I am not happy with the fact that the United States has, long ago, agreed to participate in Joint Military Exercises with South Korea," Trump posted on Truth Social.

South Korea's refusal to assist in Operation Epic Fury has also been cited as a potential reason for the reduction in joint exercises.

Notably, the announcement came within days of South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung calling for a formal end to the Korean War, which technically is still ongoing because the armistice signed in 1953 is not a full peace treaty.

Kelly and Tillis's Response

"For more than 70 years, the alliance between the United States and South Korea has been a cornerstone of peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and throughout the Indo-Pacific," Sens. Kelly and Tillis wrote in their letter. "South Korea is a capable military ally, and the ability of our forces to operate together is not guaranteed. It is built and sustained through rigorous, realistic, and recurring joint training."

North Korea still has nuclear ambitions, is deepening its ties with China and Russia, and is gaining combat experience in the latter's war with Ukraine.

"This is not the time to reduce the readiness of U.S. and allied forces in the region," Kelly and Tillis concluded. "The United States should continue to stand firmly alongside our South Korean allies and ensure our servicemembers have the training they need to fight and win should deterrence fail."