US Defense Department begins scaling back allied military exercises on Trump's orders

WASHINGTON, United States — WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Defense has begun implementing President Donald Trump's decision to narrow the scope of joint military exercises with allied nations, a department official said. The official confirmed that Trump's directives, issued in his capacity as commander in chief, are being carried out directly and that the work is continuing effectively. The official emphasized that the department is acting in line with Trump's most recent guidance. The move follows Trump's announcement a day earlier that the scale of military drills conducted with allied countries would be reduced. The Defense Department said implementation steps to scale back the joint exercises have been initiated, without providing additional details on which drills are affected or the timeline for the changes. No further information was immediately available on the scope of the reductions or the allied partners involved.