U.S. Vice President JD Vance shook up the Munich Security Conference with a speech that rattled European leaders. Instead of framing Russia or China as Europe’s biggest threats, he pointed the finger at the continent’s own liberal elite, accusing them of undermining free speech, pushing mass immigration, and silencing conservatives.
Vance took particular aim at former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton’s recent comments about possibly overturning Germany’s upcoming elections if the right-wing performs well—comparing such rhetoric to Soviet-era censorship. His critique of Europe’s immigration policies came just a day after an Afghan migrant drove into a left-wing protest in Munich, killing a woman and her two-year-old daughter while injuring over 30 others.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Munich,” Vance said, offering condolences to those affected.
Going beyond words, Vance made a bold political move—bypassing a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and instead sitting down with Alice Weidel, leader of the right-wing populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. The closed-door discussion lasted about 30 minutes, reportedly covering Ukraine and the German government’s attempts to sideline the AfD.
Weidel praised Vance’s speech as “excellent” and shared it on social media. Even Sahra Wagenknecht, leader of the left-wing BSW party, applauded his willingness to call out cancel culture and censorship.
With German elections just days away, Vance’s words and actions sent a clear message—Washington is paying attention, and the political landscape in Europe may be shifting.
