President Donald Trump said the United States will reduce military exercises with South Korea. His statement came just before the annual drills were due to start. Trump said the drills are costly. He also said they send the wrong message to North Korea. He pointed to his good ties with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump made the comments in a post on Truth Social on Sunday. He said the US had agreed long ago to take part in the joint drills. He questioned the need for such large exercises. Trump also said South Korea had refused a US request to help with Iran. He said he had asked South Korean President Lee Jae Myung if Seoul wanted to join US efforts to stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons. South Korea said no to the request, Trump said. The comments came as US and South Korean forces prepared for Ulchi Freedom Shield. The annual drills were set to start Monday and last for 10 days. A source in the region said the drills began as planned on Monday morning. It was not clear, however, if the US had reduced the size of the exercises after Trump's statement. The drills are a key part of the defense plan between the two allies. They help US and South Korean forces train for a possible attack from North Korea. This year's training was also set to cover new risks. These included drone attacks, GPS problems and cyber attacks. The exercises were expected to involve at least 18,000 South Korean troops, according to local officials. The United States and South Korea have been close military allies for more than 70 years. Their defense treaty was created mainly to protect South Korea from North Korea. North Korea has nuclear weapons and long range missiles. It has also worked to improve its missile and military systems in recent years. The US keeps a large military force in South Korea. Camp Humphreys is the biggest US military base outside the United States. It is home to many US troops, their families and South Korean workers. Joint military drills have long been a key part of the US security plan in Asia. Washington says the exercises help its forces stay ready. Seoul also sees them as a way to improve its ability to respond to threats. North Korea strongly opposes the drills. Its foreign ministry recently called the planned exercises a rehearsal for an aggressive war. Pyongyang has often said that the drills are proof of hostile US and South Korean plans. Trump's latest comments may raise new questions about the future size of the exercises. They may also affect the wider US defense plan in South Korea. Trump has often questioned the cost of US military support for allies. He has also urged allies to take a larger role in US-led efforts around the world. His comments on South Korea came as the US war with Iran remained a major issue for his administration. Trump has pressed other countries to support US efforts, but some allies have refused to take part. South Korea now faces a difficult balance. It must maintain its close defense ties with Washington while also managing tensions with North Korea. For now, the joint drills are moving forward. But Trump's call for fewer exercises could lead to a review of future US and South Korean military training. The issue also comes at a time when the security situation in East Asia remains tense. North Korea continues to build its military power, while the US and South Korea seek to keep their defense partnership strong. Any major change to the drills could therefore have wider effects. It could shape how both allies prepare for future threats and how North Korea views their military plans.