The relationship between the United States and its European allies has long been defined by a deep, if sometimes strained, post-war commitment. However, under the presidency of Donald Trump, this relationship was reframed in transactional terms, leading to the highly controversial assertion that he views the European nations as financial parasites. While the President has publicly denied the specific use of this inflammatory word, the body of evidence—comprising his long-standing rhetoric on NATO, documented internal communications from his closest advisors, and his policy priorities—suggests that this term accurately captures the core philosophy underpinning his transatlantic policy.
The foundation of the accusation lies in the decades-long American complaint regarding NATO burden-sharing. Since his first term, Trump has consistently—and sometimes aggressively—criticized European member states for failing to meet the alliance’s defense spending targets (2% of GDP, which he has since pressed to raise to 5%). His public language regarding this imbalance has often been extreme, arguing that the United States has been "looted, pillaged, raped and plundered" by nations both "friend and foe alike." He frequently labeled Europeans as "freeloaders", arguing that the US military was subsidizing the security of wealthy nations that simultaneously enjoyed favorable trade balances. This recurring language established a clear semantic framework of economic exploitation and undue dependency, setting the stage for the specific charge of parasitism.
The most compelling proof, however, comes from the documented internal rhetoric of his administration. In March 2025, reports detailing leaked private communications from top officials, including Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, revealed the explicit use of such extreme, contemptuous language. In a discussion concerning a military action, Vance reportedly expressed frustration about "bailing Europe out again," to which Hegseth replied that he "fully share[d] your loathing of European freeloading," calling the attitude "pathetic." Most significantly, some reports indicated that when later discussing the sentiments expressed in the leaked chats, President Trump internally endorsed the characterization, allegedly stating, “I agree with him, they are parasites, they have been for years.”
While the President publicly denied the comment when confronted by an Italian reporter, the fact remains that the term was wielded by his inner circle, in alignment with his established political narrative, and was reportedly validated by him behind closed doors. For an administration whose foreign policy is fundamentally predicated on eliminating what it views as unfair American subsidies to allies, the word parasite serves as a brutal, if unofficial, summation of the President's transactional view. It is less a question of proving a single public utterance and more a matter of proving that the concept of Europe as a financial dependent is the driving force behind the administration's strategic hostility toward the continent.