US President Donald Trump on Tuesday accused European nations of failing to share the burden in military operations, aligning himself with comments made by top officials in a leaked Signal chat discussing recent US airstrikes in Yemen. "Yeah I think they've been freeloading," Trump told reporters, echoing remarks made by Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

According to The Atlantic, the comments surfaced after its editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, was accidentally added to a Signal chat titled "Houthi PC small group" on March 13. The group, which included Vance, Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and DNI Tulsi Gabbard, had been coordinating the Yemen strike campaign in real time.

In the conversation, Vance expressed frustration with the US role in the operation, saying, "I just hate bailing Europe out again." Hegseth responded: "I fully share your loathing of European freeloading. It's PATHETIC." Goldberg later described the chat as a "shockingly reckless" exchange of sensitive military information, including targeting data and weapon deployment plans. 

Following public exposure of the leak, the White House pushed back, characterizing the criticism as a distraction. "This is a coordinated effort to distract from the successful actions taken by President Trump and his administration to make America's enemies pay and keep Americans safe," a spokesperson said. The National Security Council confirmed the authenticity of the chat and has opened an internal investigation into how Goldberg's number was mistakenly added.

On Capitol Hill, Democratic lawmakers have expressed alarm over both the Yemen chat leak and the broader implications of the administration's moves. Senator Mark Warner accused the White House of "playing fast and loose with our nation's most classified info," while Rep. Jim Himes promised to address the matter in an upcoming Intelligence Committee hearing. Some Democrats have called for the revocation of security clearances for those involved, though no disciplinary measures have been announced.

Read more: Democrats demand answers over Signal chat security breach

The controversy comes at a time when the Pentagon is reportedly considering relinquishing the US role as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR)—a position exclusively held by American generals since its creation. The proposal is part of a broader plan to consolidate military commands and reduce costs, aligning with Trump's long-standing insistence that NATO allies take on more responsibility for their own defense.

Retired Admiral James Stavridis, who previously served as SACEUR, warned that abandoning the role would represent "a political mistake of epic proportion" and signal a potential US withdrawal from the alliance. "We would lose an enormous amount of influence within NATO," he said.

Meanwhile, international attention is turning toward the humanitarian consequences of US operations in Yemen. UNICEF reported Tuesday that American airstrikes in recent days have killed at least eight children and displaced families in the coastal city of Hodeidah. "I passed through the western plains, where people are out in the streets and along the roadsides, begging and seeking help. They have lost hope," said Peter Hawkins, UNICEF's representative in Yemen. "I personally saw a heavily damaged building where three children were injured in the bombing yesterday."

Hawkins warned that the situation is deteriorating rapidly, especially in Hodeidah, where "thousands will die" without immediate humanitarian relief.