Trump’s pledge to stop ‘provocative’ military exercises provokes alarm and confusion in Seoul and Washington
President Donald Trump’s announcement that the US will stop military exercises with South Korea startled Tokyo and Seoul, unsettled US lawmakers, and took at least some parts of the Pentagon by surprise.
The declaration — one that goes to the heart of the security of US allies and the United States’ western defense perimeter — raised concerns that Trump had made a significant concession at his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un without getting anything solid in return, particularly as he raised the prospect of pulling troops out of South Korea altogether.
“It’s really breathtaking,” said Michael J. Green, senior vice president for Asia and Japan chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
SOURCE ⇒ CNN
