The Pentagon announced Tuesday that the major 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield joint US-ROK military exercises would be cut in half. This followed President Trump’s social media announcement that he would “substantially reduce” exercises.
Senior U.S. lawmakers from both parties heavily criticized Trump’s decision. Meanwhile, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung stated yesterday he respected Trump’s decision and efforts to create conditions for dialogue towards peace. North Korea’s leadership dismissed the reduction of exercises on the basis that U.S. policy remains “hostile,” though noted that the relationship between Trump and Kim “remains excellent.”
As reports increase on Trump’s push to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un this year, U.S. lawmakers must hold the Trump administration accountable and avoid repeating past mistakes. We must learn from the 2018-19 Trump-Kim summits, which collapsed without a durable nuclear or peace agreement, and left a diplomatic freeze. Former National Security Adviser John Bolton later admitted he worked to derail that process, encouraging President Trump to walk away by demanding full denuclearization up front.
Congress must independently back diplomacy. U.S. lawmakers must push administration officials to follow through on diplomacy, support de-escalation measures, and support a peace agreement.
For over 70 years, the ongoing Korean War and escalating tensions have undermined security for 80 million people living on the Korean Peninsula and millions more throughout the Pacific. U.S. lawmakers must independently back diplomacy and hold Trump and his administration’s officials to account. As the nation that is still at war with North Korea, the United States must act to end its longest war and pursue peace, engagement, and diplomacy.
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