President Donald Trump has said Europe is slowly losing its freedom of speech in response to Vice President J.D. Vance’s recent trip to the continent.
In the Oval Office, a reporter said Vance’s recent address to the EU had “ruffled feathers” of leaders when Vance said the “vibration” in Europe was different to the U.S. The reporter further asked Trump if he believes European leaders have a fundamentally different view of the world from the Trump administration.
“Why did he say to ruffle them?” Trump asked in response. “Well, I heard his speech, you’re talking about J.D.’s speech, right? I heard his speech, he talked about freedom of speech, and I think it’s true in Europe. It’s losing, they’re losing their wonderful right of freedom of speech. I see it. I thought he made a very good speech, actually. a very brilliant speech. You know.
Trump noted Vance had spoken openly about the situation within Europe that has been caused by a huge wave of illegal migrants into the continent.
“Europe needs to be careful, and he talked about immigration, and Europe has a big immigration problem … take a look at what’s happened in various parts of Europe. I thought his speech was very well received actually; I’ve heard very good remarks.”
Watch the video below:
During his address in Europe, Vance slammed European countries and the United Kingdom for slowing eroding their citizens’ right to free speech and right to worship.
“I look to Brussels, where EU Commission commissars warned citizens that they intend to shut down social media during times of civil unrest: the moment they spot what they’ve judged to be “hateful content,” or to this very country where police have carried out raids against citizens suspected of posting anti-feminist comments online as part of “combating misogyny” on the internet,” Vance said.
Vance noted this phenomenon is happening all over Europe.
“I look to Sweden, where two weeks ago, the government convicted a Christian activist for participating in Quran burnings that resulted in his friend’s murder,” Vance said. “And as the judge in his case chillingly noted, Sweden’s laws to supposedly protect free expression do not, in fact, grant — and I’m quoting — a “free pass” to do or say anything without risking offending the group that holds that belief.”
“And perhaps most concerningly, I look to our very dear friends, the United Kingdom, where the backslide away from conscience rights has placed the basic liberties of religious Britons in particular in the crosshairs.”
