US Vice President JD Vance called out the European leaders for criminalising free speech and hammered Donald Trump’s longstanding demand that European nations spend more on their defense.
At the Munich security conference, Vance said, “I wish I could say that this was a fluke, a one-off crazy example of a badly written law being enacted against a single person. But no… Free speech, I fear, is in retreat.”
Vance criticises cancellation of Romania’s election
Vance criticised the annulment of Romania’s elections in December, which the nation’s supreme court cancelled following claims of Russian interference. He dismissed concerns about disinformation, describing them as “ugly Soviet-era words”.
The crowded hall witnessed Vance’s direct confrontation with European politicians, accusing EU officials of “canceling elections”. He referenced President Trump, stating, “There is a new sheriff in town.”
“If you’re running in fear of your own voters, there is nothing America can do for you,” Vance said.
The November 24 Romanian election was invalidated after released security documents indicated Romania had experienced “aggressive hybrid Russian attacks” during the electoral period, Reuters reported.
Calin Georgescu, a NATO-critical right-wing candidate who advocates withdrawing support for neighbouring Ukraine, saw his popularity rise dramatically. Despite polling single digits in October, he unexpectedly won the presidential election’s first round.
“You can believe it’s wrong for Russia to buy social media advertisements to influence your elections. We certainly do. You can condemn it on the world stage even. But if your democracy can be destroyed with a few $100,000 of digital advertising from a foreign country, then it wasn’t very strong to begin with,” Vance addressed the audience.
Vance takes swipe at UK over Adam Smith-Connor case
Vance specifically called out the United Kingdom for being the worst of them all, citing the case of a man arrested for praying near an abortion clinic. Vance declared, “Europe faces many challenges, but the crisis this continent faces right now, the crisis I believe we all face together, is one of our own making.”
Vance detailed the case of Adam Smith-Connor, a British citizen arrested near an abortion clinic. He quoted Smith-Connor’s response about praying for “the unborn son that his former girlfriend had aborted years before.”
Adam Smith-Connor, 51, was found guilty last year of failing to comply with a public space protection order at the centre in Bournemouth in November 2022, the Independent reported.
“A little over two years ago, the British government charged Adam Smith-Connor, a 51-year-old physiotherapist and an Army veteran, with the heinous crime of standing 50 metres from an abortion clinic and silently praying for three minutes, not obstructing anyone, not interacting with anyone, just silently praying on his own,” Vance said.
“After British law enforcement spotted him and demanded to know what he was praying for, Adam replied simply it was on behalf of the unborn son he and his former girlfriend had aborted years before. Now, the officers were not moved – Adam was found guilty of (breaking) the Government’s new buffer zones law, which criminalises silent prayer and other actions that could influence a person’s decision within 200 metres of abortion facility,” he added.
‘Biggest threat to Europe isn’t external—it’s internal’
Regarding defence spending, Vance emphasised the Trump administration‘s position on European security and Russian-Ukrainian relations but largely avoiding the question of how to resolve the war.
“While the Trump administration is very concerned with European security and believes that we can come to a reasonable settlement between Russia and Ukraine, and we also believe that it’s important in the coming years for Europe to step up in a big way,” he said.
“The biggest threat to Europe isn’t external—it’s internal. A retreat from its own fundamental values, values shared with the US,” he added.
He delivered his speech at a moment of world peril, as the established world order is in danger of crumbling under Putin’s assault on Ukraine, according to Daily Mail.
Vance is scheduled to meet Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy later Friday. The meeting was delayed due to Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s aircraft experiencing mechanical issues.
Trump’s recent 90-minute conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin and subsequent developments have sparked tensions with European leaders, particularly regarding Ukraine’s NATO membership prospects.
Trump expressed concern about war casualties, whilst Vance suggested various approaches to pressure Putin, including economic and military options. He emphasised NATO’s significance whilst advocating for increased European defence spending during his meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
German defence minister criticises Vance, calls ‘unacceptable’
German defense minister Boris Pistorius blasts Vance over accusing European governments of ignoring voter concerns on immigration and throttling free speech.
“Democracy was called into question by the US Vice President for the whole of Europe earlier,” Pistorius said from the main stage at the conference. “He speaks of the annihilation of democracy. And if I have understood him correctly, he is comparing conditions in parts of Europe with those in authoritarian regions… that is not acceptable.”