Trump Cabinet's Leaked Chat Shows Disdain for Europe

Leaked messages from a private Signal group chat reveal that members of Donald Trump's cabinet, including Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, expressed contempt for European allies during discussions about military strikes against Houthi militants in Yemen. The chat, which was mistakenly shared with The Atlantic's editor-in-chief, contained sensitive information about planned airstrikes and showcased a belief among officials that Europe was 'free-loading' off U.S. military efforts. Vance voiced concerns about the strikes, stating, 'I just hate bailing Europe out again,' to which Hegseth replied, 'I fully share your loathing of European free-loading. It’s PATHETIC.' The U.S. government confirmed the authenticity of the messages but downplayed the incident as a miscommunication. Critics, including lawmakers from both parties, condemned the use of unsecured channels for classified discussions. Trump dismissed the leak and expressed disdain for The Atlantic, claiming ignorance of the situation.