European leaders remained quiet after Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance expressed their disdain for the reliance of their long-standing allies, specifically mentioning their “loathing” of European free-ridership. Despite the strong comments from U.S. officials, European leaders chose not to publicly address the matter, possibly due to the delicate state of U.S.-European relations and the ongoing need for collaboration on security matters, such as counteracting Houthi aggression in the Red Sea. The reluctance of European leaders to respond could be interpreted as a cautious approach to avoid potential conflicts over burden sharing and the value of their strategic partnership.

Source: https://www.foxnews.com/world/europe-tight-lipped-following-hegseth-vance-loathing-text-exchange