USFK commander meets Defense Minister Ahn amid Trump's order to scale back joint drills

US Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson visited the Defense Ministry headquarters in Seoul on Tuesday, amid Donald Trump's surprise order to sharply reduce the scale of combined US-South Korea military exercises.

Brunson made an unannounced appearance at the ministry after abruptly skipping a UN Command-hosted ceremony at the Joint Security Area in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, marking the 50th anniversary of the 1976 axe murder incident at Panmunjom.

He stayed for about 20 minutes before leaving the building, telling reporters only that he had "a meeting."

Brunson met with Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back during the visit. The two are believed to have discussed follow-up measures in response to Trump's directive to scale back the combined exercises.

Trump announced Sunday on Truth Social that he had directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to significantly reduce the scope of combined US-South Korea military drills. "Considering that Chairman Kim Jong-un of North Korea and I have a very good relationship, I don't like the fact that the United States has agreed, for a long time, to participate in joint military exercises with South Korea," Trump wrote.

The US Department of Defense — which Trump has renamed the Department of War — said Monday it was "actively working to implement the commander in chief's directive."

Those statements fueled speculation that South Korean and US military authorities could soon enter concrete discussions on reducing the combined exercises.

The field training exercise component of Ulchi Freedom Shield — the annual combined exercise simulating a defense of the Korean Peninsula that began Monday — could be among the first elements targeted for cuts.

With Trump's directive now explicit, the US side may also have already conveyed specific proposals or requests to Seoul on reducing the combined training program.