JD Vance’s secret disagreement with Donald Trump revealed in bombshell leaked messages
A shocking private conversation among Donald Trump’s top advisors has been accidentally leaked, revealing major disagreements within the administration over military action in Yemen—and exposing just how much Trump’s inner circle dislikes Europe’s reliance on American power.
The explosive messages were mistakenly shared with Jeffrey Goldberg, a well-known political journalist and editor of The Atlantic, after National Security Adviser Michael Waltz apparently added him to a high-level WhatsApp group chat. The chat included Vice President JD Vance, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and other senior officials discussing plans for U.S. airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Despite publicly supporting Trump’s foreign policy without question, Vance privately expressed serious concerns in the leaked chat. He called the planned military action a “mistake” and argued that the Houthis—who have been attacking ships in the Red Sea—pose a much bigger threat to Europe than to the U.S.
“Only 3% of American trade goes through the Suez Canal, but for Europe, it’s 40%,” Vance wrote. “I’m not sure the public will understand why we’re doing this. The strongest reason is just to send a message, like the president said.”
He also worried that the strikes could backfire by causing a sudden jump in global oil prices, hurting the U.S. economy right before the 2024 election. “There’s a real risk here,” he warned. “We might want to wait a month, explain why this matters, and see where the economy is before moving forward.”
But despite his doubts, Vance made it clear he wouldn’t openly oppose Trump. “I’ll keep these concerns to myself,” he wrote, “but I think we should at least consider delaying.”
Even though Vance eventually agreed to support the strikes, he couldn’t hide his frustration with Europe. “I just hate bailing Europe out again,” he grumbled in the chat.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was even harsher, replying: “I fully share your loathing of European freeloading. It’s PATHETIC.”
The messages confirm what many have suspected—that Trump’s team deeply resents how European nations depend on U.S. military protection while often refusing to spend more on their own defense.
The private chat was never meant to be made public. Goldberg, the journalist who received the messages by accident, said he believes Waltz mistakenly added him while setting up the group. Once he realized what he was seeing, he reported on the exchange, knowing it revealed rare behind-the-scenes tensions in Trump’s administration.
A National Security Council spokesperson later admitted the messages appeared to be real but refused to comment further.
The leak shows that even Trump’s most loyal supporters sometimes disagree with him in private—though they rarely say so publicly. It also highlights the growing divide between the U.S. and Europe, with Trump’s team viewing European nations as weak and ungrateful for American protection.
As the U.S. moves forward with military action in Yemen, these leaked texts prove that the decision wasn’t as united as the White House wants the world to believe. And for Europe, the messages are a blunt reminder: in Trump’s America, their security is no longer a top priority.
