Undermining an Alliance: The Perilous Politics of Questioning U.S.-South Korea Military Exercises

The annual U.S.-South Korean military exercise Ulchi Freedom Shield proceeded despite former President Trump's demands for scaling back, which he labeled as provocative to North Korea. This dangerous willingness to undermine a 50-year-old defensive alliance for personal diplomacy not only insults a steadfast ally but recklessly weakens deterrence against a hostile nuclear power.