Vice President JD Vance on Friday, used his first major speech on the international stage, the Munich Security Conference, to criticize European leaders for what he considers their stifling opposing viewpoints and of retreating from “fundamental values.”

He told attendees biggest threats facing Europe are not from China or Russia, but the issue of mass migration and laws that restrict free speech, according to The Hill newspaper. 

"While the Trump administration is very concerned with European security and believes we can come to a reasonable settlement between Russia and Ukraine … the threat that I worry the most about vis-à-vis Europe is not Russia, it’s not China, it’s not any other external actor,” said Vance, referring at first to efforts to end Russia's xx-year long war on Ukraine. 

“What I worry about is the threat from within – the retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values, values shared with the United States of America."

Vance also accused European officials of using laws meant to minimize misinformation and disinformation to marginalize populist voices and voters, amid the European Union's pressure on the social media platform X and owner Elon Musk to moderate content, lso according to The Hill.

Early in his speech, Vance shared the anecdote: "A little over two years ago, the British government charged Adam Smith Conner, a 51-year-old physiotherapist and an Army veteran, with the heinous crime of standing 50 meters from an abortion clinic and silently praying for three minutes, not obstructing anyone, not interacting with anyone, just silently praying on his own. 

After British law enforcement spotted him and demanded to know what he was praying for, Adam replied simply, it was on behalf of the unborn son."