U.S. President Donald Trump is reaching for a familiar playbook in an attempt to revive one of his most unlikely diplomatic relationships — a friendship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

In a Truth Social post on Sunday, the U.S. president hailed his “very good relationship” with the North Korean leader and said he had instructed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to “substantially reduce” the scale of “costly” joint military exercises with South Korea.

Trump appears to be betting that personal diplomacy can open a door that pressure has failed to unlock, much like