People Think We Hate Europe or Have Issues with It: Pence

The Vice President of the United States, Jay D. Pence, stated in an interview with Newsmax that the perception that President Donald Trump, himself, or Secretary of State Marco Rubio have issues with Europe or dislike it is incorrect. “People think we hate Europe or have issues with it. No, we love Europe,” Pence noted.

He stated that the U.S. concerns regarding the management of Europe's borders, economic growth, and NATO are driven by a desire to preserve European civilization and ensure the security of Europe.

Pence emphasized that the U.S. wants Europe to be able to defend itself and become more self-sufficient. “Trump wants NATO to be stronger but also self-sufficient. He does not want NATO to be an American security umbrella where American troops have to fight to protect Europe,” he said.

The U.S. Vice President added that a weakening of Europe would also be detrimental to America and stressed that the U.S. will continue to defend its own borders and encourage European partners to do the same.

Pence also discussed the U.S. military presence in Iran, stating, “We just want to make sure we have options. We have significant forces in the region, and there are people who may be at risk. I think Trump just wanted to ensure that, God forbid, if the Iranians do something really stupid, we have all the necessary resources to respond.”