Now we know what Vice President JD Vance really thinks about President Donald Trump’s grasp on foreign policy.
Top Trump administration officials set off panic in Washington, D.C., after they texted U.S. war plans to a journalist at The Atlantic. But the exchange—in which Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and National Security Advisor Michael Waltz discussed bombing Houthi forces in Yemen—also shows the vice president pushing back on his boss.
“I am not sure the president is aware how inconsistent this is with his message on Europe right now,” Vance wrote. “I think we are making a mistake.”
In the thread, Vance noted that 40 percent of European trade runs through the Suez Canal, which Houthi rebels have targeted for attacks. But intervening to protect European trade contradicts the hard line Trump has taken against Europe.
“I just hate bailing Europe out again,” Vance said.
Vance also worried that the American public won’t be on board.
“There is a real risk that the public doesn’t understand this or why it’s necessary,” he wrote. “The strongest reason to do this is, as POTUS said, to send a message.”
The texts came in a group chat on the messaging app Signal, which included Atlantic journalist Jeffrey Goldberg, who shared the exchange on Monday. By using Signal to discuss highly confidential information about national security, Goldberg said the administration may have violated the Espionage Act.
Earlier this month, Trump imposed a 25 percent tariff on steel and aluminum from Europe. When the Europeans pledged to retaliate, Trump threatened 200 percent tariffs on French champagne. European leaders are also at odds with Trump over his warm approach to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Vance texted that he would publicly support a proposed bombing in Yemen but recommended waiting a month to take action.
“I am willing to support the consensus of the team and keep these concerns to myself,” he said. “But there is a strong argument for delaying this a month, doing the messaging work on why this matters, seeing where the economy is, etc.”
A few minutes later, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth acknowledged Vance raised “important considerations” but said the administration’s messaging would be “tough no matter what.”
“Waiting a few weeks or a month does not fundamentally change the calculus,” Hegseth wrote.
Vance conceded.
“If you think we should do it, let’s go,” he wrote.
A spokesperson for Vance downplayed any disagreement between the vice president and Trump on foreign policy.
“The Vice President’s first priority is always making sure that the President’s advisers are adequately briefing him on the substance of their internal deliberations,” William Martin told The Atlantic. “Vice President Vance unequivocally supports this administration’s foreign policy. The President and the Vice President have had subsequent conversations about this matter and are in complete agreement.”
