At the Munich Security Conference, Vice President JD Vance delivered a speech that sent shockwaves through the room, leaving European leaders stunned and some, reportedly, in tears. Vance, known for his unapologetic defense of American values, took European nations to task for their assault on free speech and liberties—the very principles that have historically bound the United States and Western Europe together. His remarks, captured in a viral video shared on X, have sparked both praise and outrage, with constitutional law professor Jonathan Turley calling the speech “glorious.”
Vance’s central argument was clear and piercing: European leaders cannot demand greater U.S. military assistance to defend democratic values while simultaneously leading an assault on those very principles at home. He pulled no punches, exposing the systemic censorship that has become not just prevalent but codified into law across Europe, from the United Kingdom to Sweden. His critique was not just a policy disagreement but a defense of the foundational freedoms that once defined Western civilization.
Vance singled out Thierry Breton, a prominent EU figure behind the draconian Digital Services Act, for his role in pushing anti-free speech measures under the guise of combating disinformation. He highlighted egregious examples of censorship, such as the UK’s arrest of individuals for silent prayers near abortion clinics and Sweden’s prosecution of a religious protester for burning a Koran, where the judge insisted that freedom of expression is not a “free pass.” Vance even referenced Canada’s troubling stance, where a Russian dissident faced citizenship barriers for criticizing the Ukraine war, aligning with Canada’s own laws against “false information.”
The vice president’s most memorable line came when he dismantled the rationale for these speech crackdowns: “If your democracy can be destroyed with a few hundred thousand dollars of digital advertising from a foreign country, then it wasn’t very strong to begin with.” This blunt assessment left European leaders reeling, with one German official reportedly declaring, “This is all so insane and worrying.” The irony was not lost on observers, given Germany’s own history of suppressing free speech, including arrests over trivial matters like ringtones.
The reaction was visceral. Some European diplomats were visibly shaken, with reports of German officials reduced to tears by Vance’s unyielding critique.
The speech elicited strong reactions from European leaders. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius labeled Vance’s remarks as “unacceptable,” expressing visible distress and subsequently modifying his planned address. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz defended Europe’s stance, stating that current democracies are built on the understanding that they can be destroyed by radical anti-democrats, thereby justifying measures against hate speech and far-right ideologies. Christoph Heusgen, chairman of the Munich Security Conference, delivered An emotionally weak and feckless speech.
The chairman of the Munich Security Conference (MSC), closed the 61st MSC this afternoon, marking the end of his term as the MSC chairmen which started in 2022.
Mr Heusgen in his closing remarks thanked European leaders and especially Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky for speaking out about a speech made by US Vice President JD Vance at the conference.
“With (convenor of the MCU) Ewald von Kleist this conference started as a trans-Atlantic conference after the speech of Vice President Vance on Friday we have to fear that our common value base is not that common anymore,” said Mr Heusgen.
Video:
He laughed during Trump’s UN speech in 2018, but he’s certainly not laughing now!
Video:
Yes, you are correct. He laughed during Trump’s UN speech in 2018, but he’s certainly not laughing now! pic.twitter.com/bNT5U4TzQo
— Cillian (@CilComLFC) February 17, 2025
Mr Vance’s speech where he criticized Europe for suppression of free speech and a lack of democracy received meltdowns from the most guilty parties.
Germany in the meantime:
NEW: 60 Minutes joins German police as they raid a man’s home for sharing a “racist” cartoon online.
JD Vance was 100% right about Germany and the buffoons in the media acted like he was crazy.
60 Minutes: “Is it a crime to insult people online?”
German prosectors: “Yes”
60… pic.twitter.com/DXnbAq2M3d
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) February 17, 2025
