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S PUTTING NEW STRAIN ON ONE OF AMERICA'S CLOSEST MILITARY ALLIANCES AND RAISING BROADER QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THE U.S. NOW EXPECTS FROM ITS ALLIES. THE PRESIDENT HAS ORDERED THE PENTAGON TO SUBSTANTIALLY SCALE BACK JOINT MILITARY EXERCISES WITH SOUTH KOREA, CITING THEIR COST, HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH NORTH KOREAN LEADER KIM JONG UN, AND SEOUL'S REFUSAL TO JOIN THE U.S. EFFORT AGAINST IRAN.

ALL I WANT IS FAIRNESS AND SOUTH KOREA, I GET ALONG WITH THEM VERY WELL, BUT WE CAN'T GO AROUND AND PROTECT ALL OF THESE COUNTRIES ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE NOT THERE TO HELP US. GEOFF: THE ANNUAL DRILLS ARE A CORNERSTONE OF THE DECADES-OLD ALLIANCE, INTENDED TO PREPARE AMERICAN AND SOUTH KOREAN FORCES FOR A POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH THE NUCLEAR-ARMED NORTH. MR. TRUMP'S DECISION HAS PROMPTED FRESH QUESTIONS IN SEOUL ABOUT AMERICA'S RELIABILITY AS A SECURITY PARTNER.

PRESIDENT LEE RESPONDED EARLIER TODAY --

A STRONG SOUTH KOREA-U.S. ALLIANCE AND STRENGTHENING OUR INDEPENDENT DEFENSE CAPABILITIES ARE MUTUALLY REINFORCING. A STRONG ALLIANCE MAKES THE FOUNDATION OF SECURITY STRONGER AND STRENGTHENS OUR OWN CAPABILITIES, INCREASING OUR NECESSITY AS AN ALLY. GEOFF: THE DISPUTE IS THE LATEST EXAMPLE OF PRESIDENT TRUMP TAKING A MORE TRANSACTIONAL APPROACH TO TRADITIONAL ALLIANCES, PRESSING PARTNERS NOT JUST TO SPEND MORE ON THEIR OWN DEFENSE, BUT TO SUPPORT U.S.

PRIORITIES ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD. FOR MORE, WE'RE JOINED NOW BY RETIRED REAR ADMIRAL MARK MONTGOMERY. HE HAD 32-YEAR CAREER IN THE U.S. NAVY, SERVED ON THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL STAFF, AND LATER AS POLICY DIRECTOR ON STAFF OF THE SENATE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE. HE'S NOW A SENIOR FELLOW AT THE FOUNDATION FOR DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACIES. THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. GEOFF: PRESIDENT TRUMP LINKING MILITARY SUPPORT AND SOUTH KOREA WITH NOT THINKING OF -- WITH SOUTH KOREA NOT SUPPORTING THE U.S. OPERATION IN IRAN.

THIS IS REALLY UNUSUAL. I THINK THE UNITED STATES HAS ALWAYS SAID ONE OF OUR GREATEST STRENGTHS ARE OUR ALLIES AND PARTNERS. WE SHOULD BE LEVERAGING THEM, NOT PUNISHING THEM. IN THIS CASE SOUTH KOREA HAS A SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE TO FACING NORTH KOREA. NORTH KOREA IS GETTING STRONGER AND MORE POWERFUL BECAUSE OF ITS RELATIONSHIP TO RUSSIA. SOUTH KOREA IS REALLY TRAPPED ON THE PENINSULA WORRIED ABOUT NORTH KOREA. I THINK IT'S VERY INAPPROPRIATE FOR THE PRESIDENT TO TRANSACTIONALLY PLACE SOUTH KOREA IN EXTREMIS FOR THEIR FAILURE TO SUPPORT OPERATIONS IN IRAN.

GEOFF: WHAT IS THE THROUGH-LINE? DO YOU SEE AN IDENTIFIABLE STRATEGY YOURS THIS BEING DRIVEN BY THE PRESIDENT'S RELATIONSHIPS, GRIEVANCES, PREFERENCES, AND INSTINCTS?

I WOULD SAY YES, YES, YES, AND YES. HE ACTUALLY DID THIS IN 2019 AS WELL. HE BELIEVES HE HAS THIS PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH AUTHORITARIAN LEADERS AND HE CAN SOMEHOW CHANGE THEM. KIM JONG-UN IS NOT GOING TO GIVE UP HIS NUCLEAR WEAPONS. HE'S NOT GOING TO COME UP WITH AN AGREEMENT AND THE PRESIDENT IS NOT GOING TO GET A NOBEL PRIZE NEGOTIATING A BIG DEAL WI