“The Americans have absolutely got a case.”

That’s how British Defence Minister John Healey responded this week when asked about leaked Trump administration messages slamming Europe’s lackluster defense contributions. While European leaders continue to clutch their pearls over alleged Signal app comments from Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth—calling European allies “pathetic freeloaders”—the UK is choosing a different path: agreeing.

Speaking with Times Radio, Healey said the U.S. “has a point” and admitted that “European nations can and will do more,” adding that Britain is already taking the lead. He pointed to the so-called “coalition of the willing,” which includes the UK and several other European nations preparing to back Ukraine militarily, even as the U.S. hints at stepping back.

“We’re responding to that American challenge… and I’m proud we’re leading this coalition,” Healey said. “So they [Russia] can never again invade Ukraine as a sovereign country.”

While the UK is attempting to show leadership, other European nations appear less willing to carry the load unless it comes with a guaranteed American backstop. Asked directly if Britain would continue to back Ukraine even without U.S. support, Healey punted, saying, “Those are discussions that jump well ahead of where we are now.”

The source of this firestorm? Leaked Signal messages reportedly between top Trump officials. According to The Atlantic, Vance said, “I just hate bailing Europe out again,” to which Hegseth responded, “I full share your loathing of European free-loading. It’s PATHETIC.”

It’s not exactly diplomatic—but it’s not inaccurate either.

For decades, Europe has benefited from the American taxpayer footing the bill for NATO and global security. Trump—and now his second-term team—are making it clear those days are over. Vance and Hegseth’s candid frustration simply put voice to what the Trump White House is now enforcing as policy: no more handouts.

And the message appears to be landing. Even Denmark’s left-leaning prime minister recently admitted that Vance “had a point” about uncontrolled migration being a threat to European security—an issue many EU leaders once refused to even acknowledge.

As for the bigger picture, this is a marked shift away from decades of post-WWII U.S. foreign policy, where Europe was treated as a dependent partner rather than an accountable one. Trump is flipping the script, demanding results over rhetoric—and real investment over reliance.

So while some in Brussels and Berlin are throwing diplomatic tantrums, London’s response is telling: Yes, America’s right—and we’re stepping up.

That’s the Trump doctrine in action: blunt, unapologetic, and already forcing change.