A shocking string of leaked messages from Trump administration officials has brought their dislike for Europe to the forefront. In a conversation that had little to do with Europe directly, some officials bashed the region’s “freeloading” behavior.
The messages were exchanged on a Signal group chat, which appeared to include Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, regarding a strike against the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
American outlet The Atlantic’s editor Jeffrey Goldberg wasaccidentally added to the chat on Mar. 13, bearing witness to plans for military action against Houthi targets that took place two days later, according to his recounting of the messages published Monday.
Of the many things discussed, one was how much more significant the threat of Houthi rebels was to Europe since they jeopardized access to the vital Suez Canal. Europe relies heavily on the canal for trade with Asia, as about 15% of global maritime trade passes through it.
Early in the conversation, an account believed to be Vance’s highlights that pursuing the strike would benefit Europe more than the U.S.
He said in a message: “3 percent of US trade runs through the suez. 40 percent of European trade does. There is a real risk that the public doesn’t understand this or why it’s necessary. The strongest reason to do this is, as POTUS said, to send a message.”
Vance apparently said he wasn’t sure “the president is aware how inconsistent this is with his message on Europe right now.”
That was followed by further discussions among the group about raising concerns with Trump and considering alternate scenarios for the strike.
Ultimately, Vance addressed Hegseth on the chat saying: “if you think we should do it let’s go. I just hate bailing Europe out again.”
Hegseth, a former Army National Guard officer who now heads U.S. defense, replied, “VP: I fully share your loathing of European free-loading. It’s PATHETIC.”
Stephen Miller, a Trump confidant, appears to have stepped in at this point to ensure the U.S. wins something in the process.
“As I heard it, the president was clear: green light, but we soon make clear to Egypt and Europe what we expect in return. We also need to figure out how to enforce such a requirement. EG, if Europe doesn’t remunerate, then what? If the US successfully restores freedom of navigation at great cost there needs to be some further economic gain extracted in return,” he said in a message.
The leaked conversation, which the National Security Council told media outlets “appears to be authentic,” is a rare, high-profile look into the thinking of top American politicians on foreign policy matters. A slew of politicians, both Republican and Democrat, found the security breach alarming.
Trump had taken a tough stance against Europe even before he was reelected. He vowed to make the region with “nice European little countries” pay the price of its trade surplus with the U.S. if he became president. Earlier this month, when he threatened a harsh 200% tariff on European alcohol in an ongoing trade tiff, he criticized the EU as “hostile” and “abusive” for supposedly taking advantage of the U.S. every chance it got.
Some of his cabinet members have made similar remarks. Vance lambasted Europe at the Munich Security Conference last month for dismissing people’s will and limiting media freedom.
Kaja Kallas, an EU foreign policy official, said that Vance was unnecessarily trying “to pick a fight.”
The National Security Council is investigating how a stray number—Goldberg’s—got added to the chat. Irrespective of what emerges, the damage has arguably been done and it’s clear that the U.S. is thinking of each foreign policy effort transactionally.
Representatives at Trump’s office at the White House didn’t immediately return Fortune’s request for comment.
“Nobody was texting war plans, and that’s all I have to say about that,” Hegseth told reporters in Hawaii on Monday, accusing Goldberg of “peddling hoaxes.”
