India, Aug. 17 -- US President Donald Trump on Sunday ordered Pentagon to scale back planned joint military exercises with South Korea after he said it declined to help denuclearise Iran, adding that the joint wargames may be perceived as "hostile" by "unthreatening and respectful" North Korea.

Trump said in a social media post that he had recently asked South Korea's president to join the US in its efforts to denuclearise Iran, "and they said, No thanks!"

The US president further said the exercises, slated to begin this week, are not only costly but "send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile" to North Korea, which he said "has been unthreatening and respectful" during his time in White House.

"Therefore, and based on the...