US President Donald Trump expressed concern on Friday that Europeans are losing their freedom of speech, hours after Vice President JD Vance accused European politicians of censoring free speech. Vance’s speech at the Munich Security Conference stirred immediate backlash in Europe, with many delegates remaining silent and failing to applaud his comments.
Vance criticized European leaders for what he called a retreat from fundamental values, particularly free speech, and uncontrolled immigration. He received sharp criticism from Germany’s Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius, who called his remarks “unacceptable.”
The clash highlighted diverging views between the US and Europe, particularly on issues like the war in Ukraine and Europe’s role in its own defense. Vance also met with far-right AfD leader Alice Weidel, sparking further controversy ahead of Germany’s federal elections.
While peace talks were expected to dominate the conference, Vance barely mentioned Russia or Ukraine, focusing instead on European issues. European leaders, including German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, warned against any attempts to impose a peace deal on Ukraine without its agreement.
