The Guardian: The Signal leaks expose Trump team’s hatred of Europe

New leaks reveal the truth about the Trump administration’s feelings toward European allies. Are traditional American alliances coming to an end?

In the latest development regarding leaks of Trump’s national security team’s discussions regarding the strike against Yemen, the British newspaper The Guardian published an article stating that messages between US Vice President J.D. Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, which were inadvertently leaked to journalist Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic magazine, revealed negative feelings toward European allies in the context of discussions about the military strike against Yemen, pointing to the Trump administration’s dissatisfaction with the defense burden the United States is bearing on behalf of Europe.

The leaks came to light after journalist Goldberg was added to a Signal messaging group where senior US officials discussed details of a plan to launch airstrikes against Yemen.

The Guardian reported that the leaks showed how J.D. Vance questioned the necessity of the airstrike, arguing that the United States might once again be doing what Europe must do to protect its security interests, particularly with regard to securing maritime trade through the Suez Canal.

The vice president expressed dissatisfaction with the position of European allies, noting that 40% of European trade passes through the Suez Canal, a vital artery for European trade, while only 3% of American trade depends on it.

Vance later went further, as he implicitly acknowledged the difference between his foreign policy and Trump’s statements that the strike would undermine the president’s policy toward Europe, especially at a time when Trump was seeking to send more balanced messages to the continent amid growing concerns about the strike’s impact on global oil prices.

The leaks revealed sharp disagreements within the Trump administration over how to deal with European allies, with Vance adopting a more hardline stance and expressing open hostility toward them.

This reflects a divergence in views between Vance and Trump regarding US foreign policy toward Europe and the Middle East.

According to the report, Vance, whose influence in foreign policy circles is growing, has appointed Andy Baker, his national security advisor who helped lead the Pentagon transition team, as his representative.

Hegseth pointed to Dan Caldwell, a prominent advocate of restraint in the exercise of US power abroad to protect Europe and confront rivals like Russia.

The Vice President appears to view these arrangements as inconsistent with American principles, expressing his displeasure with the Trump administration’s policies, which do not fully align with the president’s views on international transactions.

According to leaks, Vance believed the United States was doing what Europe should be doing on its own.

Meanwhile, some officials, such as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, are trying to calm the situation by emphasizing that the strike against Yemen would reinforce core American values ​​such as freedom of navigation.

But Vance, according to the leaks, was not easily convinced by the appeasement, asserting that he hated rescuing Europe again, prompting Hegseth to admit that he shared Vance’s negative attitude toward European opportunism.

European concerns over these statements have grown, with accusations of an American desire to create tensions with European allies over diverging interests.

As European concerns grew over Vance’s statements questioning the United States’ commitment to its traditional alliances, European officials took their own stances.

European foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas accused Vance of trying to stir up trouble with America’s traditional allies, while another European diplomat considered his stance a threat to European security.

These tensions emerged at a time when the Trump administration was seeking to redefine its international relations, with some suggesting that Trump’s policies may be shifting toward alternative alliances, such as the Gulf economies that could replace Europe in the future.

In general, the administration’s policies toward Europe have begun to crystallize at a time when the world is witnessing increasing shifts in international alliances.

These leaks indicate that the Trump administration may be reevaluating its relationship with European allies, with some beginning to point to shifts that could lead to alternative alliances with Gulf economies, which could replace Europe in the future.

These shifts are raising concerns in Europe, where fears are growing about the impact of these changes on regional security and stability.