When Vice President Mike Pence departed Germany after meeting with the heads of several European countries their biggest fears about The Donald's foreign policy were alleviated.

At the conclusion of their discussions with the Vice President, the Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly, and the Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, the Europeans were asking the American dignitaries, "What should Europe start doing on their own?"

Although Vice President Pence vowed to hold Russia accountable and to back NATO, several European nations were concerned the United States would withdraw from the Transatlantic Alliance like it did from the Transpacific Partnership.

Vice President Pence and Secretary of Defense Mattis declined to field questions after they addressed the Europeans. This response fueled the smoldering fire many Europeans felt over the messages The Donald and his team of advisors have recently presented.

In response to the Americans not answering any questions from the Europeans, Former French Diplomat Francois Heirbourg stated, "We used to see this from the Russians and occasionally the Chinese. But to have American officials speaking in plenary sessions and refusing to take questions, its unbelievable."

Alexander "Sandy" Verschbow, the former United States Ambassador to Russia and Deputy Secretary General of NATO, remarked, "I'm struck by the many European representatives here that have read the collected works of Stephen Bannon (The Donald's Chief Strategist)."

Elliott Abrams, who served in the Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush Presidential Administrations, chimed in with, "In three months the full line-up of Deputy, Under, and Assistant Secretaries {for The Donald's Cabinet} will be in place."

Abrams further elaborated, "The lack of Department personnel, and the uncertainty about whether Cabinet Secretaries speak for the President will continue {until then} and it may continue until events themselves clarify American policy."

The consensus of these meetings resulted in European countries understanding their needs to take care of their own backyards and spend more on defense. This was illustrated by Mark Leonard, the Director of the European Council on Foreign Relations, who commented:

"Rather than parse every statement from a US Official and every tweet from the White House, Europeans need to start thinking about what they have to do for themselves." He also lamented, "Europe has been infantilized and emasculated by decades of over-reliance on the US security umbrella."

Europe faces several problems of its own including jihadist terrorists, a refugee crisis, Brexit (England leaving the European Union), and a vengeful Russia. Now would be a real good time for them to start doing as much as they possibly can to assist themselves and for that puppy to learn how to bite.