Private conversations among senior Trump administration officials have ignited fresh tensions between Washington and its European allies, raising concerns over the future of transatlantic relations.
Leaked exchanges from a Signal group chat, involving Vice President JD Vance, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, and a top adviser believed to be Stephen Miller, contained dismissive remarks about Europe, branding the continent as “pathetic” and “freeloading.”
The messages, first reported by The Atlantic, surfaced amid discussions about a planned US military strike in Yemen.
The fallout has been swift, with European leaders expressing outrage at what they see as a troubling shift in America’s stance towards its traditional allies.
European officials reacted with disbelief when they learned of the remarks made behind closed doors.
According to the leaked messages, Vance expressed frustration over what he described as America once again stepping in to protect European interests.
He wrote, arguing that the planned airstrikes would benefit Europe more than the United States,
“I just hate bailing out the Europeans again."
Hegseth echoed these sentiments, stating,
“I fully share your loathing of European freeloading. It’s PATHETIC.”
Stephen Miller, identified as “SM,” suggested that both Egypt and Europe should financially compensate Washington for its military operations.
“If Europe doesn’t remunerate, then what?” the message read, proposing that the US should extract economic gains if it succeeds in securing key trade routes.
These remarks have provoked a strong backlash from European diplomats, who insist they never requested a US military intervention in Yemen.
One EU diplomat, speaking anonymously, clarified that Europe had only been informed of the operation and was not involved in its planning.
The official stated,
“There were no discussions with senior policymakers about compensation.”
Nathalie Loiseau, a member of the European Parliament, responded with sarcasm.
She posted on X, referencing the ease with which sensitive US discussions had been exposed,
“Putin is now unemployed: No point in spying anymore.”
She also warned that President Trump’s approach could undermine Europe’s support for Ukraine, stating,
“No point in crushing Ukraine anymore, Trump will take care of it.”
Translation:
Two notes on Signalgate:
- There are no adults in the room anymore in Washington. Even my teenagers are more responsible.
- Putin is now unemployed: no point in spying anymore, the leaks come from the 🇺🇸 themselves. No point in crushing Ukraine anymore, Trump will take care of it.
Nathalie Tocci, director of Italy’s Institute of International Affairs, expressed deeper concerns over Washington’s approach, saying,
“It is clear that the trans-Atlantic relationship, as was, is over.”
She described the US position as shifting from indifference to outright hostility, warning that European leaders should reconsider their reliance on America as an ally.
The strain is not new.
President Trump has long criticised Europe’s economic policies and defence spending, previously suggesting that NATO members failing to meet spending targets should not expect US protection.
His administration has also imposed tariffs on European goods and even floated the idea of acquiring Greenland, a Danish territory—moves that have only heightened European anxieties.
The leak provides a rare glimpse into the internal deliberations of the Trump administration regarding military action.
While the official justification for striking the Houthis in Yemen has centred on protecting global maritime trade and countering Iran, the private discussions suggest that some within the administration viewed it as an opportunity to highlight Europe’s reliance on US military power.
Vance, in particular, appeared sceptical of the strike, warning that it conflicted with Trump’s broader policy toward Europe.
“I think we are making a mistake,” he wrote, pointing out that while only 3% of US trade passes through the Suez Canal, the figure for Europe is 40%.
He argued that public support for such an operation might be difficult to secure without proper messaging.
He added,
“The strongest reason to do this is, as [Trump] said, to send a message.”
The exchange also highlighted a growing divide within the administration over foreign policy priorities.
Vance, a vocal critic of Europe, suggested delaying the strike by a month to better align the messaging with Trump’s rhetoric.
However, Hegseth and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz remained committed to the operation, with Waltz stating,
“It will have to be the United States that reopens these shipping lanes.”
Stephen Miller reportedly closed the discussion by reaffirming Trump’s stance, writing,
“Green light, but we soon make clear to Egypt and Europe what we expect in return.”
The leaks have fuelled fears in European capitals that the US no longer sees the continent as a vital partner.
Ben Hodges, the former commander of US forces in Europe, warned that such discussions being held on a messaging app were not just unusual but potentially illegal.
He cautioned that “allies will be very reluctant to share analysis and intelligence” with the US if they believe Washington is being careless with sensitive information.
Concerns have also been raised over how this shift in US policy might affect NATO.
European leaders are increasingly worried that the Trump administration’s hostility could extend to military commitments under the alliance’s collective defence agreements.
Meanwhile, US officials continue to make moves that unsettle European leaders.
The visit by Usha Vance and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz to Greenland this week, despite local authorities not extending an invitation, has sparked further irritation in Denmark.
Second Lady Usha Vance and National Security Advisor Michael Waltz are among the U.S. officials involved in the upcoming Greenland visit.
Some European policymakers now believe Washington is pursuing a unilateral approach to diplomacy that disregards long-standing alliances.
Kaja Kallas, Europe’s foreign policy chief, accused Vance of deliberately escalating tensions.
“He is very dangerous for Europe… maybe the most [dangerous] in the administration,” one European diplomat claimed, while another described him as “obsessed” with driving a wedge between the US and its allies.
European commentators have pointed out that the United States also depends on global trade routes and benefits from European naval patrols in the region.
France, Britain, and the Netherlands already have a presence in key waterways, but this reality appears to have been overlooked in the private discussions.
Notably, China has a far greater stake in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait than many European nations, as much of its oil imports and exports to Europe pass through the area.
Yet, as Nathalie Tocci observed,
“No one in the White House is talking about asking China for ‘remuneration.’”
The broader message emerging from Washington appears to be that Europe can no longer assume the US will stand by its side.
During a podcast interview over the weekend, Trump ally Steve Witkoff openly suggested that the Gulf economies could become more important to Washington than Europe, describing the continent as “dysfunctional.”
Prominent conservative commentator Tucker Carlson took it a step further, stating,
“It would be good for the world because Europe is dying.”
With relations between Washington and Brussels at a new low, European leaders are left questioning the reliability of an ally they once trusted.
The unfolding tensions between the US and Europe, laid bare by the leaked messages, introduce a layer of geopolitical risk that the crypto market cannot ignore.
As traditional alliances face potential fractures and the global landscape reconfigures, investors may seek alternative assets perceived as less tied to conventional political structures.
Whether this translates to a flight to perceived safe-haven cryptocurrencies or triggers wider market volatility remains to be seen, but the intersection of international relations and digital finance is becoming increasingly pronounced.
For now, the fallout from this leaked conversation continues to reverberate across both sides of the Atlantic.
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Here are some of the leaked messages in the Signal group chat:
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