"Misunderstanding": Trump backtracks on South Korea instability after talks

President Trump questioned South Korea's political stability on Truth Social Monday morning, hours before he was to host President Lee Jae Myung at the White House to discuss tariffs, trade and military cooperation. Why it matters: The meeting comes less than a month after the two countries agreed on a massive trade deal, but Trump's combative post questioning South Korea's government and the lack of public details about the deal's expected framework suggest the administration may be unsatisfied with the outcome. What they're saying: "WHAT IS GOING ON IN SOUTH KOREA?" Trump posted on Monday."Seems like a Purge or Revolution," he continued. "We can't have that and do business there."The White House and the South Korean embassy did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.Driving the news: The president later said the post was in response to purported raids in South Korea in recent weeks, including on churches and on a joint U.S.-South Korea military base. South Korean prosecutors have conducted more 10 raids on locations connected with the Unification Church, which authorities accuse of bribing officials in exchange for political favors, according to United Press International.The raid at the Osan Air Base in July was confined to the South Korean side of the facilities only, according to The Chosun Daily.President Trump said "they probably shouldn't have done that," but said he would ask Lee for clarification, as the U.S. president was unsure if the reporting was accurate.The intrigue: The South Korean presidential office is reportedly checking in with the White House following Trump's remarks, according to regional outlet Yonhap News Agency. Between the lines: The president has held multiple high-profile, contentious meetings with world leaders in the White House since returning to office earlier this year.When Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the Oval Office in February, the meeting devolved into a heated shouting match that was abruptly cut short.South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was ambushed with a video falsely accusing the nation of committing a genocide against white residents in the country during a visit to the White House in May.Catch up quick: South Korea held snap elections earlier this year after its previous President, Yoon Suk Yeol, caused a constitutional crisis by temporarily imposing martial law last December.Yoon's controversial move shocked democratic allies across the globe, and the country's parliament responded by impeaching him.Lee led the campaign to oust Yoon and was eventually elected president.Zoom out: South Korea is a major trading partner for America, spending more than $131 billion on U.S. imports in 2024.The new trade deal imposes a 15% tariff on South Korean imports, but U.S. exports to the country will not be tariffed.The deal also includes a $350 billion investment fund, but it is unclear how such a massive mechanism would operate, and who would benefit.Go deeper: Trump says U.S. strikes trade deal with South KoreaEditor's note: this story has been updated with Trump's comments.

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