JD Vance’s speech will leave Christians in a state of confused anxiety

US Vice President JD Vance may have been right to warn Europe against retreating from Christian values during his speech at the Munich Security Conference. But parts of his message should also concern us, says Tony Wilson

European leaders are collectively shaking their heads, trying to come to terms with a new realpolitik after JD Vance addressed the Munich Security Conference last week.

Vance criticised Europe for turning its back on traditional values of free speech and democracy. 

The Chairman, Christoph Heusgen, clearly upset by Vance’s speech, broke down in tears. 

When Vance turned his attention to the UK, he referenced the questioning by police of people engaged in silent prayer in the vicinity of abortion clinics. This, he said, was an example of a worrying crackdown on free speech.  

Many would agree, but when Vance offered European leaders advice on electoral propriety, incredulity followed. Vance was chastising Romania for annulling the results of an election where a far-right pro-Russian, Calin Georgescu, had apparently won (Ukraine’s Constitutional Court ruled there had been significant interference from Russia to boost his chances). Whatever the details, Vance has convieniently forgotten his own administration in the US still denies the legitimacy of the 2020 election in the US.

Vance can bemoan “totalitarianism” all he likes, but again, him and Trump have been very effective at shutting down voices that oppose their agenda. European media may well have a liberal bias that,,,