Washington: Democratic lawmakers intensified their criticism of U.S. President Donald Trump following his decision to scale back military exercises with South Korea while seeking renewed talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un this year.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Senate Democrats expressed concern on Friday over Trump's directive to reduce the military drills, stressing the potential negative impact on the alliance between Seoul and Washington. In a post on social media platform X, they criticized Trump for canceling the exercises and undermining the U.S.-South Korea alliance, noting that Kim Jong-un had made no concessions and continued to supply weapons to Russia for use against Ukraine.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer highlighted that not even Kim Jong-un, whom Trump has called a close friend, respects the U.S. President's decision. Schumer referenced a New York Times report where Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of the North Korean leader, dismissed Trump's overture, stating it holds no interest for North Korea. Schumer labeled the situation as another instance of Trump embarrassing the nation globally.
Senator Chris Van Hollen accused Trump of aligning with dictators, arguing that Trump's actions undermine U.S. credibility and global safety. He criticized Trump for "cozying up to dictators" and receiving nothing in return, furthering the argument that such actions weaken U.S. alliances.
Senator Tammy Duckworth also voiced her disapproval, questioning when Trump will cease his approach of embracing dictators while alienating allies. Duckworth emphasized the importance of joint military exercises, which she reaffirmed during a visit to South Korea last year, describing the reduction of these drills as a significant error aimed at appeasing the nuclear-armed Kim Jong-un.
On Sunday, Trump announced via social media that he ordered a significant reduction in South Korea-U.S. military drills, citing his positive relationship with Kim Jong-un. He also expressed dissatisfaction with South Korea for rejecting his request for assistance in the U.S. conflict with Iran. Trump's decision is perceived as a conciliatory gesture towards Pyongyang, which has long criticized the drills as war rehearsals. However, it has sparked concerns over potentially weakening deterrence efforts against the increasing threats from North Korea.