Vance: Europe falling short on democratic standards

U.S. Vice President JD Vance accused European leaders of undermining democratic values and said attempts to regulate hate speech and misinformation on social media were more suited to communist regimes than free societies.

Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, the senior official in Donald Trump’s administration said German efforts to ringfence the far-right Alternative for Democracy were antidemocratic and criticized a contentious court decision to scrap Romania’s presidential election. Vance also brushed off reports of Russian meddling in European elections.

The annual gathering of security experts in the Bavarian capital has traditionally been an event to deepen and strengthen the transatlantic relationship with officials from Washington, D.C., meeting their European counterparts to exchange views and share experiences.

Vance, instead, delivered a broadside to the Europeans in attendance, without making any reference to the war in Ukraine.

Vance said that if democracy can be compromised by a few hundred thousand dollars of social media ads, then it can’t have been very strong in the first place and mocked European Union regulation of online speech as “ugly soviet-era words like misinformation and disinformation.” His attack lines were often greeted with silence or isolated applause in the packed main hall.

“When I look at Europe today, it’s not clear what happened to some of the Cold War’s winners,” Vance said.

His remarks align with arguments made by European far-right groups, who have condemned restrictions on social media activity and efforts to limit their influence.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius spoke on another panel shortly afterward and departed from his prepared remarks to respond directly to Vance, eliciting loud applause from the audience.

“He talks about annihilation of democracy and, if I understood him correctly, he compares the situation in certain parts of Europe to authoritarian regimes,” Pistorius said. “Ladies and gentlemen, that is not acceptable.”

Even before Vance’s speech, German officials had been left frustrated and confused by the Trump administration’s comments this week that Ukraine won’t join NATO, won’t get back the territory occupied by Russia and won’t see any U.S. peacekeepers.

Romanian government officials also said they were stunned by the vice president’s comments, particularly after what they called positive U.S. exchanges with Foreign Minister Emil Hurezeanu.

Romania’s top court sparked outrage in December when it annulled the presidential election, citing foreign interference after the victory of a far-right candidate in the first round.

Vance also targeted comments in January by Thierry Breton, a former European commissioner, who applauded the Romanian decision. “If necessary, we will have to do it in Germany as well,” Breton had said.

Vance said those comments reflect a disdain for European voters, particularly those channeling frustration with established parties into support for anti-establishment groups.

“If you’re running in fear of your own voters, there is nothing America can do for you,” Vance said. “Nor for that matter is there anything that you can do for the American people that elected me and elected President Trump.”