On March 14, Vice President JD Vance dropped a shrapnel bomb of a message that set the political world in Washington and far beyond absolutely ablaze. The message, sent just a day before former President Donald Trump's announcement of airstrikes on the Houthi group in Yemen, has highlighted Vance's discord with the administration's approach to foreign policy. The Houthis, an Iran-backed group recently designated as terrorists by the United States, have wreaked havoc in the Red Sea. For the last two years they’ve attacked with impunity commercial shipping and military shipping.
With his blunt speech at last month’s Munich Security Conference, Vance shocked European political elites. He turned Europe’s strengths into a powerful criticism of Europe. He condemned the continent for losing sight of its fundamental values and called on leaders to do more heavy lifting. This speech, together with what he’s said recently, further highlights Vance’s perpetual discord from Trump’s direction on Europe.
In a private message shared with The Atlantic, Vance didn’t mince words about his lack of enthusiasm for the administration’s greenlighting.
"I think we are making a mistake," said Vice President JD Vance.
He elaborated on his complaints about the disconnect between what Trump has done versus what he has said about Europe.
"I am not sure the president is aware how inconsistent this is with his message on Europe right now," he stated.
Stephen Miller, then the White House deputy chief of staff, pressured the administration to state its demands clearly. He singled these out for especially poor communication, particularly with Egypt and Europe. The Trump administration has maintained that European allies benefit from the U.S. Navy's protection of international shipping routes, which supports their economies. Unlike his predecessors, Vance has publicly complained about this deal and what it means for American taxpayer dollars.
Will Martin, Vance’s communications director, pointed out that Vance is fully on board with the administration’s larger foreign policy aims. Vance’s extreme hard-line isolationist position has placed him on the opposite side of Trump and other senior officials. His sentiment regarding America's role in assisting Europe was made clear when he remarked:
"I just hate bailing Europe out again."
The Atlantic revealed the emerging internecine conflict over direction on foreign policy. The story’s major takeaway may be that there was significant dissent within the administration on how to proceed. Tellingly, Vance recognized the possible economic effects of their foreign policy actions.
"There's a further risk that we see a moderate to severe spike in oil prices," he warned.
Vance articulated a willingness to go along with the administration’s consensus, even if he was personally apprehensive.
"I am willing to support the consensus of the team and keep these concerns to myself," he affirmed.
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