US preparing for Freedom Edge joint exercise with S. Korea, Japan: US Pacific Command

The United States is preparing to conduct a trilateral military exercise with South Korea and Japan, the US Pacific Command said Wednesday, suggesting that the drills are on track despite the recent scaling back of a Seoul-Washington combined exercise at US President Donald Trump's directive. "In close coordination with the Japan Self-Defense Forces and the Republic of Korea Armed Forces, US Pacific Command is preparing for the 2026 iteration of exercise Freedom Edge," Lt. Cmdr. Chloe Morgan, a