Last updated:February 15th, 2025, 14:10 IST
The German head of state urged European leaders to stay calm in the face of a blizzard of destructive policy announcements from Washington.
US Vice President JD Vance will speak at the 61st Munich Security Conference (MSC) held in Munich, southern Germany. (Image: AFP)
US Vice President JD Vance warned on Friday that US Vice President JD Vance would get used to Germany, as he tolerated criticism by Swedish climate activist Greta Sämberg.
“If you survive the decade of Greta Samberg’s scuff, you can survive months of Elon Musk,” he said.
Vance repeatedly attacked European policies on immigration, populist parties and freedom of speech, calling President Donald Trump the “new sheriff of the town” in Washington.
Focusing on key themes in Trump’s election campaign, his speech was a militant broadside at Munich’s security conference in an era of transatlantic discord over Ukraine, defense and trade.
Vance emphasized that Europe must “step up” in managing its own security, a key bone of competition. However, he mainly condemned EU members on the issue of culture wars.
“There’s a new sheriff in town under Donald Trump’s guidance,” Vance said in a speech shocking the room.
Vance denounced the EU “commissar” to restrain free expression, accusing him of “free speech in Europe, I am retreating, fearful.”
Speaking in Washington, Trump doubled Vance’s attacks on traditional US allies.
“I heard his speech. He spoke about freedom of speech, and I think that’s true in Europe,” the president told White House reporters.
“And he talks about immigration and there’s a big immigration issue in Europe.”
German President Frank Walter Steinmeier had previously revealed that relations between Berlin and Washington had deteriorated sharply since Trump’s return.
“The new American administration has a very different worldview than ours,” Steinmeyer said.
Immigrants
The German head of state urged European leaders to stay calm in the face of a blizzard of destructive policy announcements from Washington.
“We should not freeze in fear. Despite our English voice, let’s not become deer caught in our headlights.”
In a speech after urging European countries, including Germany, host of conferences facing elections, on February 23, Vance urged them to “change courses” on immigration.
His remarks came the day after a 24-year-old Afghanist was arrested in Munich for an attack on extermination of 36 people.
“How many times do you need to suffer from these horrible set times before changing courses and leading shared civilizations in new directions?” he said.
“Why did this happen in the first place? That’s awful, but I’ve heard it many times in Europe and unfortunately I’ve heard it many times in the US.
“In many cases, asylum seekers, young men in their mid-20s, who are already known to police, attack cars by crowds and crush the community.”
Defending political parties opposed to immigration and their supporters, Vance added:
‘interference’
Germany warned on Friday against foreign “interference” in politics after Vance called for a major role in European anti-immigrant parties nine days before the German general election.
Vance told The Wall Street Journal: “Unfortunately, voters’ wills are ignored by many of our European friends.”
Germany (AFD)’s far-right alternative appears to be set at an all-time high of around 20% in the election, with enthusiastic support from Tech billionaires and Trump’s ally Elon Musk.
According to German press, Vance met with Alice Weidel, a bystander at the conference.
Pistorius blows up Vance and says, “Democracy has been questioned by the Vice President of the United States of America across Europe.”
“He compares some European conditions with people in the authoritarian regime… that’s not acceptable.”
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – AFP)Position:
Washington, DC, United States (USA)
