In a candid interview with the UK outlet UnHerd, Vice President JD Vance emphasized that Europe must not continue as a “permanent security vassal” of America, challenging the longstanding post-World War II security framework that he believes no longer benefits either side of the Atlantic.
Vance’s comments arrive amid growing tensions between the United States and Europe, primarily due to disagreements over the Russo-Ukrainian war and NATO funding issues. The Vice President expressed disappointment with Europe’s approach to its own security, which has long been overshadowed by American support.
“The reality is—it’s blunt to say it, but it’s also true—that Europe’s entire security infrastructure, for my entire life, has been subsidized by the United States of America.”
According to Vance, only the United Kingdom, France, and Poland boast truly independent militaries. “In many respects, they’re the exceptions that prove the rule: European leaders have radically underinvested in defense, and that must change,” he noted.
The Trump administration has been vocal in urging European countries to reduce their reliance on American military might. President Trump has pushed NATO members to increase their defense spending to 5 percent of GDP—a substantial increase from the current 2 percent benchmark, which is expected to be raised at the upcoming NATO summit in The Hague.
While NATO members agreed in 2014 to raise defense spending to 2% of their GDP, many nations still fall short of this commitment. The Trump administration has made it clear that the US might reconsider its support for NATO allies who do not meet their defense obligations. As President Trump bluntly stated in February, “If they don’t pay, I’m not going to defend them.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has echoed this sentiment, suggesting that America’s military presence in Europe is not assured indefinitely. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has also supported the call for increased European defense spending, especially given rising global tensions.
Some Western officials, particularly from globalist circles, have raised concerns that Russia might attack European NATO members within the coming years, although Moscow dismisses these claims as “nonsense,” stating it has no such intentions.
During the interview, Vance, despite criticism from globalist media for his previous remarks at the Munich Security Conference, reiterated his respect for European people and cultures.
“I love European people. I’ve said repeatedly that I think that you can’t separate American culture from European culture,” Vance expressed. “We’re very much a product of philosophies, theologies, and of course the migration patterns that came out of Europe that launched the United States of America.”
