In a moment that would be almost comedic if it weren’t so alarming, a senior U.S. official recently added The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg to a Signal group chat intended only for top-level military and government leaders. Inside this chat, senior members of the Trump administration—including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Vice President JD Vance—were discussing a potential military strike against Houthi rebels in Yemen. The conversation contained what most observers would consider sensitive, if not outright classified, operational information: target locations, aircraft to be deployed, weapons systems, and timelines.
Goldberg, stunned to find himself in the virtual war room, watched silently. The officials, apparently oblivious to his presence, continued discussing military actions with astonishing candor. Later, Goldberg went public with screenshots and a narrative of the incident, sparking outrage—not just in Washington, but across Europe and the broader international community.
This was not just a breach of digital security. It was a breach of trust. And its fallout may mark yet another turning point in the slow erosion of America’s leadership among its democratic allies.
Europe’s Growing Frustration
Perhaps more damaging than the operational details were the opinions shared within the chat. Vice President JD Vance was quoted saying: “If you think we should do it, let’s go. I just hate bailing Europe out again.” To which Defense Secretary Hegseth replied: “I fully share your loathing of European freeloading. It’s PATHETIC.”
European diplomats were stunned. While allied nations often have disagreements behind closed doors, these words—blunt, dismissive, and now public—cut deep. One EU diplomat told Politico that this leak confirmed their worst fears: that these officials were not merely posturing in public, but genuinely disdainful of their European counterparts. The comment reinforced the view that the U.S., under current leadership, no longer sees NATO and other alliances as relationships of mutual respect, but as burdens it reluctantly carries.
Former British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps and other European leaders were quick to point out that UK aircraft were directly involved in supporting U.S. operations in the region. The characterization of Europe as passive and parasitic was not only wrong—it was insulting.
The Cracks in the Alliance Are Widening
This diplomatic fiasco didn’t happen in a vacuum. It comes on the heels of years of shifting American foreign policy—retreats from multilateralism, trade skirmishes, and a growing isolationist sentiment among U.S. voters and officials. Allies have already begun to question whether the U.S. can still be counted on in a crisis. Now, they are wondering whether they should even try.
The European Union has long debated the need for “strategic autonomy”—building its own defense capacities independent of the U.S. This event may give that idea a new urgency.
The Tail and Not the Head
From a biblical standpoint, what we are witnessing is not just a political realignment. It is a spiritual reckoning.
In Deuteronomy 28, God outlines the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience directed to the descendants of Israel. Among the warnings, He said:
“The LORD will make you the head and not the tail… if you heed the commandments of the LORD your God” (Deuteronomy 28:13).
But if Israel disobeyed, the reverse would happen:
“The alien who is among you shall rise higher and higher above you, and you shall come down lower and lower. He shall be the head, and you shall be the tail” (Deuteronomy 28:43–44).
America, modern descendant of the biblical tribe of Manasseh (a son of Joseph and a branch of the house of Israel), was once clearly the “head” of the nations—a global leader, a force for order, a beacon of democratic values. But it has increasingly turned its back on God’s commandments. It celebrates what God calls sin, exalts pride over repentance, and puts national interest before divine instruction.
This latest diplomatic debacle is a reflection of that spiritual decline. A nation that cannot keep its communications secure, that mocks its allies behind their backs, and that fails to act with humility and integrity, is not fit to lead. It is becoming the tail.
A Warning and a Wake-Up Call
The Signal group chat leak is more than a tech blunder or diplomatic embarrassment. It is a sign of unraveling leadership—moral, strategic, and spiritual. America’s allies are losing faith. Its adversaries are watching closely. And its citizens are left wondering how the world’s most powerful nation could stumble so carelessly.
But Scripture shows us the way back:
“Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD of hosts (Malachi 3:7).
America—and indeed all modern descendants of Israel—need to humble itself, and to restore the values that once made it great.
Until then, the head will continue to become the tail.
Leave a comment