AP | Jacquelyn Martin

President Trump on Sunday said he ordered Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to “substantially reduce” the country’s joint military exercises with South Korea, nodding to his “very good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in announcing the move.

While noting it is “somewhat unrelated,” Trump also wrote on Truth Social that South Korean President Lee Jae Myung was apparently uninterested in helping the U.S. with the “denuclearization” of Iran.

Rough reception at home: Some lawmakers and retired military officials slammed Trump’s move. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), a retired U.S. Navy captain, wrote on social media that “hollowing out these joint exercises is shortsighted and a mistake.” Meanwhile, retired Air Force Col. Cedric Leighton described the order as an “unforced error,” telling CNN that it could damage the U.S.-South Korean relationship.

But support in South Korea?: While The Associated Press reported that Trump’s announcement baffled many in South Korea, Lee’s office said Monday that it hopes a “friendly relationship” between Trump and Kim would lead to “meaningful dialogue” between the U.S. and North Korea and start discussions on promoting peace and stability on the peninsula.

What (and when) are the joint U.S.-South Korea exercises? They are annual large-scale defense drills that occur in spring and summer to help strengthen the alliance between the two countries and the readiness to fight against regional threats, The Hill’s Mallory Wilson writes. 

The 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises began Monday as scheduled, per the AP, but Trump noted in his announcement that it was too late to cancel them, so the drills will instead be scaled back. It’s unclear so far what that will look like in practice.

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U.S. Central Command commander Adm. Brad Cooper on Sunday weighed in on the controversy surrounding the mental health of service members aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier as it makes its journey home following more than 260 days in the Middle East.

Cooper, following a visit to the carrier on Saturday, said in a statement that the Lincoln “has among the lowest number of cases related to mental health” compared to the Navy’s other 10 active aircraft carriers.

“This doesn’t mean that all is perfect,” he added. “Find any of the nearly 4 million Navy veterans in America today and they will likely tell you that service at sea for long periods isn’t for everyone.”

What has been happening on the Lincoln?: Reports described the increasingly worsening conditions for service members aboard the carrier, including moldy showers and rotten food. Some sailors have reportedly attempted to jump into the sea.

In other aircraft carrier news, The Hill’s Filip Timotija reports the Navy is considering a major revamp of the design of its new class of carriers to better suit the desires expressed by Trump.

Mock-ups are, sadly, not yet available.

The Supreme Court on Monday denied the president’s long-shot request to reconsider his appeal of writer E. Jean Carroll’s $5 million sexual abuse verdict.

The justices had already declined to take up Trump’s argument earlier this summer. The Hill’s Zach Schonfeld notes that rehearings at the Supreme Court are virtually never allowed.

Carroll accused Trump of sexually assaulting her in a Manhattan luxury store in the 1990s, which the president has denied. A jury found Trump liable for sexual battery and defamation in May 2023.

The Trump legal team’s response: “The American People stand with President Trump as they demand an immediate end to all of the Witch Hunts, including the Democrat-funded travesty of the Carroll Hoaxes,” his lawyers wrote in a statement.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) told NBC News’s “Meet the Press” host Kristen Welker on Sunday that he wants to see “dramatic reform” to the Supreme Court, but he did not provide specific proposals beyond saying the court should have an ethical code of conduct.

The House Democratic leader also said he does not support the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) agenda amid notable recent primary wins by leftist candidates. One plank of the DSA platform proposes replacing the president and Supreme Court “with an executive and judiciary chosen by and subordinate to Congress.”

🔎 More on the Supreme Court: The emergency docket roars back

The Democratic Party’s growing rift is putting Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) in an increasingly awkward spot, with a crop of progressives already saying they won’t back him for another term as leader.

The resistance is building: Democratic Senate nominees, including progressive Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan, Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Maine hopeful Troy Jackson, have all soured on Schumer. Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton made a similar pledge to oust the New Yorker earlier this year. The critics argue the establishment has been too cozy with corporate interests and isn’t fighting hard enough for a more ambitious economic agenda.

Don’t pack up just yet: Democratic insiders still largely expect the 75-year-old leader to hang on — though it will depend on how the party performs in November. The Dems’ family feud could just be getting started.

📖 Read more from The Hill’s Alexander Bolton here.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) is into social media overtime this month, sharing her egg-freezing journey with her 9.6 million Instagram followers. The progressive lawmaker has documented everything from administering shots to an untimely iPhone storage crisis (we have all been there).

But she’s hardly the only potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender getting personal. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently grabbed beers together, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg got grilled by an 11-year-old and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear introduced the internet to “Winnie Shark,” his dog bounding through a field to the tune of “Baby Shark.”

The strategy: Relatability, authenticity and combating the “Woke 1” stereotype.

🖊️ More here from The Hill’s Amie Parnes.

—🌱 Trump revamped his vandalism claims late Sunday, this time turning his eyes to a patch of grass near the World War II Memorial. The president shared photos of brown areas he blamed on vandals on Truth Social, days after a woman was charged with writing graffiti on the monument.

— 🗣️ Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, is racking up diplomatic face time in the Middle East, meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday after a two-hour sit-down with Hamas leaders a day earlier. 

— 🏈 Congress is getting ready to play referee in college sports, with a landmark bill regulating the industry expected to face a crucial Senate vote when lawmakers return next month. The Trump-backed measure, led by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), has gained steam this summer, but its path forward remains uncertain.

— 👀 Beshear says he’s getting the silent treatment from Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), telling CBS on Sunday that he’s “heard absolutely nothing back” after seeking updates amid the senator’s weeks-long absence from Congress.

The New York Times: China Wants to Shape What the World’s AI Knows

Politico: Nancy Pelosi is leaving Capitol Hill. Her team is still calling shots.

NOTUS: The ‘Body Guy Caucus': The Lives of the Men and Women Paid to Shadow Senators

The Washington Post: They were told to park outside. Then their cars burst into flames.