South Korea president stresses US alliance as many baffled by Trump order to cut exercises

South Korea’s president stressed that a solid alliance with the U.S. strengthens national security in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's order to substantially reduce joint military exercises. The surprise announcement was made just before annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, prompting concerns about the reliability of the US-South Korean alliance. Critics noted that Trump’s move apparently did not involve South Korea and was attributed to his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.