U.S. Vice President JD Vance criticized European governments for stifling free speech and opposing political rivals at the Munich Security Conference. He downplayed concerns about Russian interference in Europe and emphasized that the main threat to democracy comes from within. Vance raised issues of European governments limiting free expression online and making arrests over controversial comments, while neglecting to address the topic of the Ukraine conflict. His remarks elicited a negative response from European attendees who found his contentions alarming. Notably, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius rebuked Vance's comparison of parts of Europe to authoritarian regimes. Vance's speech also drew sharp condemnation from Nathalie Tocci, director of the Istituto Affari Internazionali think tank, who accused the U.S. administration of seeking to undermine the EU. Ultimately, Vance questioned the effectiveness of democracy if it can be subverted by outside influence, cautioning against complacency in safeguarding democratic processes.