Hare and Garčević Analyze US-European Relations Following Controversial Comments
Ambassadors Paul Webster Hare and Vesko Garčević were invited by BU Today to comment on the antagonism towards traditional U.S. allies that emerged from a leaked Signal app group chat about ongoing US attacks on Houthi militia in Yemen. Their analysis, titled “US Defense Secretary Called Europe ‘Pathetic.’ Two BU Experts on Whether the Alliance Is Damaged,” was published on March 27, 2025.
The controversy erupted after Vice President J.D. Vance wrote, “I just hate bailing out Europe again,” in the messaging app Signal. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth responded with, “I fully share your loathing of European free-loading. It’s PATHETIC.” The encrypted chat was inadvertently exposed when the administration mistakenly added Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg to the conversation, who subsequently wrote about his accidental inclusion.
Both Pardee experts agreed that European allies were already well aware of President Trump and his team’s attitude toward Europe. Ambassador Hare, a former British diplomat who served as British ambassador to Cuba from 2001-2004, noted that the UK government has been cognizant of the Trump administration’s perspective on Europe even before the election. He highlighted the contradiction in Trump’s stance given that “his mother emigrated to the United States from Scotland, two of his wives were European immigrants, and Melania Trump is also a Slovenian citizen.”
Hare also emphasized the historical context, pointing out that “it was the Europeans that rallied around the United States after 9/11.” On the question of European defense spending, he acknowledged that “the need for Europe to increase defense spending is now fully recognized” and that “the American call for this happened well before Trump, under the Obama administration.”
Ambassador Garčević, who served as Montenegro’s Ambassador to NATO and various European capitals, provided complementary analysis on the growing rift. According to Garčević, “Anti-American sentiment in Europe is on the rise, and it reflects in everyday situations. These statements deepen distrust among Europeans and Americans and reinforce a sense in Europe of a broken relationship.”
He characterized the “America First” approach as being founded on “three premises: American nationalism and unilateralism, protectionist economic policy, and a transactional mindset,” all of which were displayed in the comments of senior officials. “This approach implies disregard for international institutions and traditional American allies,” Garčević explained. “While Europeans are well aware of it, every display of deep anti-European feelings and scornful tone about Europe cements the deterioration of trans-Atlantic ties and drifts partners away.”
Looking toward the future, both ambassadors offered sobering assessments. Hare observed that “the Trump administration is transactional and sees all issues in what can benefit the US economy and what can be done to stop countries ‘ripping off’ the USA,” noting that this approach extends beyond Europe and is concerning key allies worldwide. He also expressed concern about “the sheer lack of experience in implementing complex government policies in security and foreign affairs” among Trump’s new team.
Meanwhile, Garčević pointed to emerging European self-sufficiency initiatives, citing the European Commission’s new ReArm Europe Plan, which envisions up to 800 billion euros in increased defense spending, and Germany’s recent landmark bill to unlock hundreds of billions for defense and infrastructure projects. His conclusion was stark and definitive: “the alliance will never be the same.”
Ambassador Paul Webster Hare is a Master Lecturer in international relations at BU and serves as the Interim Director of the Center for Latin American Studies at the Pardee School. He teaches classes on Diplomatic Practice, Arms Control, Intercultural Communication, and Public Diplomacy. Ambassador Vesko Garčević is a Professor at Boston University’s Pardee School of Global Studies and directs the Center for the Study of Europe. He dealt with issues pertinent to European security and NATO for almost 14 years during his diplomatic career, including serving as Montenegro’s Ambassador to NATO from 2010 until 2014.