Over the past week there's been much made of visits by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Europe, where they both outlined the need for the continent to step up in their own defense and reestablish western principles inside their countries.
After Vance gave a speech at the Munich Security Conference about Germany's alarming anti-free speech position, which is enforced by the government, many leftist European leaders clutched their pearls and were consoled by American Democrats.
Leftwing German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius goes after JD Vance for blasting the EU in his speech:
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) February 14, 2025
"This is NOT acceptable!"
The clapping seals in Europe are upset that an American Vice President just shoved the uncomfortable truth right in their faces. Do better, Europe. pic.twitter.com/I4i7XprrOM
The Press: “JD Vance is lying about speech censorship in Europe!”
— Justin Hart (@justin_hart) February 17, 2025
Also the Press: “So you can go to jail for re-posting something that is wrong?” Germans: yes.
pic.twitter.com/vSkHuPy1AI
But not everyone in Europe is rejecting the Trump doctrine of America First and calls for Europe to do more to protect themselves.
"All wars end, but how they end determines the shape of the peace that follows—and whether it will last. Now, as America has taken the initiative on ending Russia’s war against Ukraine, European leaders must choose between showing strength as the process unfolds and facing the perils of relinquishing responsibility for their own security," former Finland Prime Minister Sanna Marin writes in The Economist. “It is entirely reasonable for American taxpayers to question why they should shoulder more of the cost of European security than europe itself. Given the clear message from Washington, it is simply unrealistic not to strengthen Europe’s own defense capabilities.”
Meanwhile, negotiations on how to bring the Russia-Ukraine war to an end are ongoing.
