We've seen this movie before and it hasn't even been that long.
Trump unilaterally canceled joint military exercises with South Korea earlier this early after his "summit" with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Those exercises were un-canceled more recently because North Korea had not demonstrated any progress toward disarming, but now the exercises have been canceled again.
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The United States and South Korea have suspended upcoming air defense exercises to give diplomatic efforts with North Korea “every opportunity to continue,” the U.S. military said on Friday.
The Pentagon said the decision to suspend Exercise Vigilant Ace, which had been scheduled for December, was taken by U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and South Korean defense minister Jeong Kyeong-doo, who met in Singapore on Friday.
So, what has changed?
Well, Kim Jong-un sent Trump two letters and they "fell in love," but aside from that there have been no reports that North Korea has taken substantive steps toward disarming, like disclosing exactly how many weapons they have.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo described his recent trip to North Korea as productive, but that's so vague I find it barely worth mentioning.
The foreign minister of North Korea recently spoke at the U.N. General Assembly where he said North Korea will never disarm unless the United States takes corresponding measures, but I doubt suspending military exercises is what he had in mind.
This whimsical back-and-forth could potentially continue forever and that may even be the goal for the North.