Overview

• Vice President JD Vance, in a speech at the Munich Security Conference, claimed Europe's biggest threat is internal, citing migration and restrictions on free speech, rather than external actors like Russia or China.
• Vance faced backlash from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius for his comments and his meeting with Alice Weidel, co-leader of the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party.
• Scholz emphasized Germany's commitment to preventing the return of fascism and rejected foreign interference in its democracy, particularly in favor of extremist parties like the AfD.
• The AfD, which is polling in second place ahead of Germany's February 23 elections, has been criticized for its anti-migrant stance and controversial rhetoric, with some leaders accused of echoing Nazi slogans.
• President Trump defended Vance's speech, praising his focus on freedom of speech and migration, while German leaders argued that Vance's remarks distorted European democracy and undermined transatlantic relations.