US Vice President JD Vance called on Europe to be self-sufficient in defense, protect its own interests instead of depending on Washington, and defend Mr. Trump’s tough tariff policy.
“I love the people of Europe,” US Vice President JD Vance said in an interview with UK-based news site UnHerd this week.
While affirming the deep cultural ties between the US and Europe, Mr. Vance still emphasized the Trump administration’s steadfast stance: Europe needs to proactively protect itself from new threats, instead of continuing to depend on the US as a “security vassal,” according to CBS News.
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US Vice President JD Vance. Photo: Reuters. |
Affirming the inseparable bond between American and European culture, Mr. Vance said: “I have always believed that it is impossible to separate American culture from European culture. America is a product of philosophy, theology and waves of immigration originating from Europe.”
However, he said the current security model – in which the US bears the bulk of the costs of defending Europe – is outdated. “It is not good for Europe to remain a security vassal of the US,” he said, adding that increased European defence independence would benefit the US as well.
Citing the war in Iraq, Mr. Vance, a former Marine and war correspondent, said frankly: “I think many European countries were right to oppose the US war in Iraq. If they had been a little more independent and stronger, perhaps we could have avoided that strategic disaster.”
He also reiterated the Trump administration’s longstanding criticism of European nations’ limited military capabilities. “Europe’s security infrastructure has been largely funded by the United States throughout my lifetime. Most countries do not have militaries strong enough to defend themselves properly.”
Mr. Vance also denied that the Trump administration had promoted Russia’s rhetoric in the conflict in Ukraine. During a “fierce” meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House earlier this year, he and Mr. Trump took a tough stance.
However, Mr. Vance countered: “It is absurd for Mr. Zelenskyy to suggest that the U.S. government — the force that is keeping both the government and the war in Ukraine running — is on Russia’s side.”
He believes that to end the conflict, it is necessary to understand the strategic goals of both sides.
Turning to trade, the US Vice President said that high tariffs under Mr. Trump were necessary to adjust the trade balance, which was tilted towards other countries.
While acknowledging that the policy had roiled global financial markets, he asserted: “Every major reform is destabilizing in the short term. But this is a long-term game.”
Notably, Mr. Vance also revealed a certain flexibility that the Trump administration is willing to apply: “We have to listen to feedback from the business community, workers, bond markets… to adjust for successful policy.”
Referring specifically to the UK, Mr Vance said the US was working closely with the government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer to reach a bilateral trade deal. “The president loves the UK – he has great respect for the Queen and admires the King. It’s a special relationship, not just for economic reasons but also for cultural reasons. The US is an Anglo country at its core.”
On the contrary, he believes that negotiations with the EU or individual member states will be much more difficult.
“With the UK, we have a more two-way trade relationship than, for example, Germany. As much as we love the Germans, they are very dependent on exports to the US but are quite strict about US goods wanting access to the German market,” he said.
