WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:06.360 I believe there is nothing more urgent than mass migration. Today, 2 00:00:07.120 --> 00:00:10.000 almost one in five people living in this country moved 3 00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:10.800 here from abroad. 4 00:00:10.880 --> 00:00:12.519 That is, of course, an all time high. 5 00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:15.039 Is a similar number, by the way, in the United States, 6 00:00:15.160 --> 00:00:16.359 also an all time high. 7 00:00:16.800 --> 00:00:18.000 The number of immigrants who. 8 00:00:17.960 --> 00:00:22.320 Entered the EU from non EU countries doubled between twenty 9 00:00:22.359 --> 00:00:25.320 twenty one and twenty twenty two alone, and of course 10 00:00:25.320 --> 00:00:26.640 it's gotten much higher since. 11 00:00:27.280 --> 00:00:28.679 And we know the situation. 12 00:00:28.879 --> 00:00:33.320 It didn't materialize in a vacuum. It's the result of 13 00:00:33.359 --> 00:00:37.840 a series of conscious decisions made by politicians all over 14 00:00:37.880 --> 00:00:42.119 the continent and others across the world over the span. 15 00:00:42.039 --> 00:00:42.640 Of a decade. 16 00:00:42.920 --> 00:00:46.159 Jadevance just went into the heart of darkness the Munich 17 00:00:46.280 --> 00:00:51.280 Security Conference, and he decided to tell the truth. What 18 00:00:51.399 --> 00:00:53.880 a novel concept. This is what I was just talking 19 00:00:53.880 --> 00:00:57.479 about yesterday with my episode. It's like there's just a 20 00:00:57.640 --> 00:01:01.439 level of honesty that's happening that I can't believe. 21 00:01:01.960 --> 00:01:02.719 I can't believe it. 22 00:01:03.240 --> 00:01:07.120 You guys constantly say more content, Clint, more content, all right, 23 00:01:07.359 --> 00:01:10.519 back to back episodes, just because I love you. Thank 24 00:01:10.560 --> 00:01:12.599 you seriously. The fact that you guys want to hear 25 00:01:12.599 --> 00:01:16.319 more from me means a lot. So Jennie Vance went 26 00:01:16.319 --> 00:01:19.359 to the Munich Security Conference this morning and he gave 27 00:01:19.400 --> 00:01:22.000 a about twenty something minute speech that. 28 00:01:22.519 --> 00:01:24.599 Just lit the New World Order on fire. 29 00:01:25.239 --> 00:01:28.319 I mean, I don't know how else to put it, really, 30 00:01:29.040 --> 00:01:32.159 just laying his cards on the table and saying, this 31 00:01:32.280 --> 00:01:35.120 is what's happening, this is who's doing it, and this 32 00:01:35.200 --> 00:01:37.120 is why, and this is why we're not going to 33 00:01:37.159 --> 00:01:40.120 do it anymore. And I think that it is a 34 00:01:40.439 --> 00:01:44.040 big moment. So for those that haven't had a chance 35 00:01:44.079 --> 00:01:46.519 to listen to it or watch it, we're gonna do 36 00:01:46.560 --> 00:01:49.680 that right now, the entire thing. And I'm gonna interject 37 00:01:49.719 --> 00:01:52.840 with my commentary periodically on areas of disagreement and agreement 38 00:01:52.879 --> 00:01:56.280 and emphasizing points that really matter. But I think that 39 00:01:56.799 --> 00:01:58.159 if you haven't had a chance to listen to the 40 00:01:58.200 --> 00:02:00.959 whole thing, it is worth doing. On top of that, 41 00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:06.400 Trump today decided to fire thousands of IRS agents that 42 00:02:06.519 --> 00:02:09.479 just came down a few minutes ago. I can't I 43 00:02:09.479 --> 00:02:11.400 don't know how else to describe this other than like 44 00:02:12.159 --> 00:02:16.120 it's basically like the Buchanan Nite wing of the Republican 45 00:02:16.159 --> 00:02:18.919 Party and the Ron Paul wing of the Republican Party. 46 00:02:18.919 --> 00:02:23.240 The Buchananites are much more nationalistic and you know, border hawks, 47 00:02:23.280 --> 00:02:27.240 but also very anti war, very anti nWo. And then 48 00:02:27.479 --> 00:02:30.680 the Row Paul libertarian wing obviously, which I'm more a 49 00:02:30.680 --> 00:02:34.159 member of. But like the it's this confluence of these 50 00:02:34.199 --> 00:02:39.840 two movements that is really having life breathed back into it. 51 00:02:40.240 --> 00:02:42.759 I didn't expect it. I'll just I'll just be honest, 52 00:02:42.759 --> 00:02:46.479 like I did not expect Jade Vance and Trump to 53 00:02:46.599 --> 00:02:51.960 represent in so many ways. It's it's weird. It's weird, 54 00:02:52.080 --> 00:02:55.680 Like did anybody see this coming. I'm sure some people did, 55 00:02:55.719 --> 00:02:59.439 but my goodness, it's amazing. Anyways, let's get in the speech. Actually, 56 00:02:59.479 --> 00:03:01.719 before we watch the speech, let's talk about some of 57 00:03:01.719 --> 00:03:04.439 the commentary we're getting. This is from a congresswoman out 58 00:03:04.479 --> 00:03:06.960 of Pennsylvania. Her name is Christy Hulahan. She says, I'm 59 00:03:07.000 --> 00:03:09.840 struggling for the words to describe my disappointment with Vice 60 00:03:09.879 --> 00:03:12.800 President Vance's speech at the Munich Security Conference. I feel 61 00:03:12.800 --> 00:03:15.000 as though all of Europe and half of America deserve 62 00:03:15.039 --> 00:03:19.080 an apology. VP Vance chided and derided Europe for the 63 00:03:19.159 --> 00:03:21.039 very things that our great nation is wrestling with. He 64 00:03:21.159 --> 00:03:23.919 maligned the continent's leaders and voted with when our own 65 00:03:23.960 --> 00:03:26.120 house is not in order. According to him, Europe is 66 00:03:26.159 --> 00:03:28.680 retreating away from free speech and is making wrong choices 67 00:03:28.680 --> 00:03:30.680 about who should be part of a free society. He 68 00:03:30.800 --> 00:03:32.919 maligned them for not leading with the right values and 69 00:03:33.000 --> 00:03:35.319 for persecuting those who disagree with them. 70 00:03:35.879 --> 00:03:37.560 He also spent time scoffing at. 71 00:03:37.479 --> 00:03:40.840 The idea that Romania's election was possibly compromised, with not 72 00:03:40.879 --> 00:03:42.960 a whiff of a mention of the violence of January sixth, 73 00:03:42.960 --> 00:03:45.439 of the attempt to annul our own election of twenty twenty, 74 00:03:45.479 --> 00:03:48.080 and not a word about Ukraine or Russia. The hypocrisy 75 00:03:48.120 --> 00:03:50.080 is just more than I can take. I'm sorry. This 76 00:03:50.120 --> 00:03:51.919 does not reflect who we are and how much we 77 00:03:52.039 --> 00:03:56.719 value the European continent. Wrong, wrong, Chrissy. This is exactly 78 00:03:56.759 --> 00:03:58.560 how who we are and how we feel about the 79 00:03:58.560 --> 00:04:01.919 European continent. And also when you say I'm struggling for 80 00:04:02.000 --> 00:04:04.759 words to describe and then you go on, you know, 81 00:04:04.960 --> 00:04:09.719 multi paragraph screed, yeah, you're just being performative. 82 00:04:09.840 --> 00:04:10.759 So I'm not buying it. 83 00:04:11.080 --> 00:04:13.080 So I just wanted you to get an idea of 84 00:04:13.120 --> 00:04:16.519 the Democrat class's you know, response to jad Evans. You 85 00:04:16.560 --> 00:04:19.079 already know it's good if they hate it this much, 86 00:04:19.439 --> 00:04:21.199 you know it's good. Let's get into it. 87 00:04:21.279 --> 00:04:26.639 Thanks to all the gathered delegates and luminaries and media professionals, 88 00:04:26.839 --> 00:04:29.839 and thanks especially to the host of the Munich Security 89 00:04:29.879 --> 00:04:33.560 Conference for being able to put on such an incredible event. 90 00:04:33.600 --> 00:04:36.079 Were of course thrilled to be here. We're happy to 91 00:04:36.120 --> 00:04:39.360 be here, and you know, one of the things that 92 00:04:39.720 --> 00:04:43.399 I wanted to talk about today is of course our 93 00:04:43.439 --> 00:04:45.759 shared values. And you know, it's great to be back 94 00:04:45.800 --> 00:04:48.360 in Germany. As as you heard earlier, I was here 95 00:04:48.439 --> 00:04:51.639 last year as United States Senator. I saw a foreign 96 00:04:51.680 --> 00:04:54.279 minister excuse me, Foreign Secretary David Lammy, and joke that 97 00:04:54.279 --> 00:04:56.079 both of us last year had different jobs than we 98 00:04:56.160 --> 00:04:59.439 have now. But now it's time for all of our countries, 99 00:04:59.439 --> 00:05:02.759 for all of those who have been fortunate enough to 100 00:05:02.800 --> 00:05:06.439 be given political power by our respective peoples to use 101 00:05:06.480 --> 00:05:09.720 it wisely to improve their lives. And I want to 102 00:05:09.759 --> 00:05:13.079 say that I was fortunate in my time here to 103 00:05:13.120 --> 00:05:15.639 spend some time outside the walls of this conference over 104 00:05:15.639 --> 00:05:19.240 the last twenty four hours, and I've been so impressed 105 00:05:19.319 --> 00:05:23.040 by the hospitality of the people, even as of course, 106 00:05:23.160 --> 00:05:25.759 as they're reeling from yesterday's horrendous attack. 107 00:05:26.560 --> 00:05:27.839 And the first time I was ever in. 108 00:05:27.879 --> 00:05:31.000 Munich was was with my wife actually, who's here with 109 00:05:31.040 --> 00:05:34.519 me today on a personal trip. And I've always loved 110 00:05:34.560 --> 00:05:36.800 the city of Munich, and I've always loved its people, 111 00:05:37.319 --> 00:05:39.079 and I just want to say that we're very moved, 112 00:05:39.120 --> 00:05:42.279 and our thoughts and prayers are with Munich and everybody 113 00:05:42.279 --> 00:05:45.680 affected by the evil and inflicted on this beautiful community. 114 00:05:45.680 --> 00:05:48.720 We're thinking about you, We're praying for you, and we 115 00:05:48.759 --> 00:05:51.240 will certainly be rooting for you in the days and 116 00:05:51.279 --> 00:05:51.920 weeks to come. 117 00:05:52.120 --> 00:05:55.600 Quick explanation there, that is in regards to the attack 118 00:05:55.680 --> 00:05:58.560 on Christmas. I think it was Christmas Eve in Munich. 119 00:05:58.759 --> 00:06:00.920 It was the vehicle attack. I covered it a couple 120 00:06:01.000 --> 00:06:03.439 months ago now here. 121 00:06:08.480 --> 00:06:10.279 I hope that's not the last bit of applause that 122 00:06:10.319 --> 00:06:14.720 I get. But we gather at this conference, of course 123 00:06:14.800 --> 00:06:19.959 to discuss security, and normally we mean threats to our 124 00:06:20.160 --> 00:06:24.319 external security. I see many great military leaders gathered here today. 125 00:06:25.079 --> 00:06:27.120 But while the Trump administration. 126 00:06:26.879 --> 00:06:31.240 Is very concerned with European security and believes that we 127 00:06:31.319 --> 00:06:35.519 can come to a reasonable settlement between Russia and Ukraine, 128 00:06:35.879 --> 00:06:38.240 and we also believe that it's important in the coming 129 00:06:38.319 --> 00:06:40.639 years for Europe to step up in a big way 130 00:06:41.079 --> 00:06:44.040 to provide for its own defense. The threat that I 131 00:06:44.120 --> 00:06:47.639 worry the most about visa the Europe is not Russia, 132 00:06:47.839 --> 00:06:49.839 it's not China, it's not any. 133 00:06:49.639 --> 00:06:50.920 Other external actor. 134 00:06:51.600 --> 00:06:54.519 And what I worry about is the threat from within, 135 00:06:55.319 --> 00:06:59.360 the retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental 136 00:06:59.439 --> 00:07:03.639 values you shared with the United States of America. Now 137 00:07:03.639 --> 00:07:06.879 I have struck that a former European commissioner went on 138 00:07:06.920 --> 00:07:12.319 television recently and sounded delighted that the Romanian government had 139 00:07:12.480 --> 00:07:16.680 just annulled an entire election. He warned that if things 140 00:07:16.720 --> 00:07:20.240 don't go to plan, the very same thing could happen 141 00:07:20.319 --> 00:07:25.319 in Germany too. Now these cavalier statements are shocking to 142 00:07:25.680 --> 00:07:29.439 American ears. For years, we've been told that everything we 143 00:07:29.560 --> 00:07:32.720 fund and support is in the name of our shared 144 00:07:33.000 --> 00:07:38.879 democratic values. Everything from our Ukraine policy to digital censorship 145 00:07:39.040 --> 00:07:44.199 is billed as a defense of democracy. But when we 146 00:07:44.240 --> 00:07:49.160 see European courts canceling elections and senior officials threatening to 147 00:07:49.199 --> 00:07:53.079 cancel others, we ought to ask whether we're holding ourselves 148 00:07:53.079 --> 00:07:56.759 to an appropriately high standard. And I say ourselves because 149 00:07:56.759 --> 00:07:59.920 I fundamentally believe that we are on the same team. 150 00:08:00.160 --> 00:08:03.560 US do more than talk about democratic values, we. 151 00:08:03.480 --> 00:08:04.560 Must live them. 152 00:08:04.759 --> 00:08:06.720 We're only three and a half minutes in and you 153 00:08:06.759 --> 00:08:09.120 can already see it's just a shot across the bow, 154 00:08:09.279 --> 00:08:10.279 like right out the gate. 155 00:08:10.480 --> 00:08:11.160 And I love that. 156 00:08:11.199 --> 00:08:14.120 He butters him up by saying, you know, I love Munich, 157 00:08:14.160 --> 00:08:15.680 I love the people of Munich, I love coming here, 158 00:08:15.720 --> 00:08:18.680 blah blah blah, and he gets an applause line after 159 00:08:18.720 --> 00:08:21.439 he you know, shares his condolences for the attack that 160 00:08:21.480 --> 00:08:25.199 happened last month, and then he says knowingly, he goes, 161 00:08:25.600 --> 00:08:27.600 I hope that's not the last applause line I get 162 00:08:27.680 --> 00:08:31.360 during this speech, because he knows where this speech is going. 163 00:08:31.920 --> 00:08:36.200 And it's really important, man, I mean, it's just so important. 164 00:08:36.399 --> 00:08:39.759 This actually reminds me a lot of when Trump, I 165 00:08:39.759 --> 00:08:43.759 don't remember what year, it was, probably twenty seventeen, maybe eighteen. 166 00:08:44.120 --> 00:08:45.679 He goes to the World Economic for him and he 167 00:08:45.679 --> 00:08:48.919 gives a speech and he just talks about how like, yeah, 168 00:08:48.360 --> 00:08:53.879 we're not gonna go away from nationalistic desires or priorities. 169 00:08:54.000 --> 00:08:55.840 The truth is plain to see. 170 00:08:56.759 --> 00:09:01.559 If you want freedom, take pride in your kind. If 171 00:09:01.559 --> 00:09:06.639 you want democracy, hold on to your sovereignty, and if 172 00:09:06.639 --> 00:09:09.840 you want peace, love your nation. 173 00:09:11.720 --> 00:09:13.759 Wise leaders always. 174 00:09:13.519 --> 00:09:17.279 Put the good of their own people and their own 175 00:09:17.320 --> 00:09:23.639 country first. The future does not belong to globalists. The 176 00:09:23.720 --> 00:09:28.360 future belongs to patriots. The future belongs to sovereign and 177 00:09:28.440 --> 00:09:35.120 independent nations who protect their citizens, respect their neighbors, and 178 00:09:35.200 --> 00:09:41.000 honor the differences that make each country special and unique. 179 00:09:41.279 --> 00:09:43.440 Like, we're not doing this, We're not doing this globalist thing. 180 00:09:43.879 --> 00:09:46.480 And essentially what Jadie Vance is doing is he's going 181 00:09:46.480 --> 00:09:48.200 in there and he is chastising them. 182 00:09:48.360 --> 00:09:51.879 I mean, he is just telling them, Hey, you guys 183 00:09:51.879 --> 00:09:52.600 are hypocrites. 184 00:09:53.039 --> 00:09:56.759 You lecture the entire world about defending democracy while you 185 00:09:56.799 --> 00:10:03.200 simultaneously threaten democracy with said ship and election overthrows, which 186 00:10:03.240 --> 00:10:06.000 is what happened in Romania. I mean, it's it really 187 00:10:06.080 --> 00:10:09.480 is galling. But just just to have an American politician, 188 00:10:09.559 --> 00:10:11.759 particularly the vice president of the United States, which I 189 00:10:11.840 --> 00:10:15.000 for somehow that still doesn't feel real to me, But yeah, 190 00:10:15.039 --> 00:10:17.840 that's who this guy is. He's second in chain of 191 00:10:17.840 --> 00:10:20.559 command for the presidency. Yeah, I mean, to have the 192 00:10:20.639 --> 00:10:22.360 vice president of the United States go to the Munich 193 00:10:22.600 --> 00:10:26.679 Security Conference and just lecture them about how they are 194 00:10:26.799 --> 00:10:30.240 the primary threat. It ain't China, it ain't Russia. It 195 00:10:30.279 --> 00:10:34.039 ain't North Korea, it's not even Iran, which you would 196 00:10:34.080 --> 00:10:37.919 expect the old guard of the GOP to harp on. 197 00:10:38.639 --> 00:10:43.720 He's sayings in it's within, it's you, it's the people 198 00:10:43.799 --> 00:10:46.879 in this room listening to him right now. You are 199 00:10:46.879 --> 00:10:49.879 the threats to democracy profound. 200 00:10:49.440 --> 00:10:52.120 Now within living memory of many of you in this room. 201 00:10:52.799 --> 00:10:53.759 The Cold War. 202 00:10:53.600 --> 00:10:58.720 Positioned defenders of democracy against much more tyrannical forces on 203 00:10:58.799 --> 00:11:02.960 this continent. And consider the side in that fight that 204 00:11:03.159 --> 00:11:09.639 censored dissidence, that closed churches, that canceled elections. Were they 205 00:11:09.679 --> 00:11:13.320 the good guys? Certainly not? And thank god they lost 206 00:11:13.399 --> 00:11:17.519 the Cold War. They lost because they neither valued nor 207 00:11:17.639 --> 00:11:22.120 respected all of the extraordinary blessings of liberty, the freedom 208 00:11:22.200 --> 00:11:27.559 to surprise, to make mistakes, to invent, to build. As 209 00:11:27.559 --> 00:11:31.759 it turns out, you can't mandate innovation or creativity, just 210 00:11:31.799 --> 00:11:35.080 as you can't force people what to think, what to feel, 211 00:11:35.399 --> 00:11:37.759 or what to believe. And we believe those things are 212 00:11:37.919 --> 00:11:38.799 certainly connected. 213 00:11:40.080 --> 00:11:41.039 Just quick interjection. 214 00:11:41.480 --> 00:11:47.919 He is analogizing them to the USSR, to the communists. 215 00:11:48.039 --> 00:11:51.039 He's saying, y'all are behaving as communists. Look at all 216 00:11:51.080 --> 00:11:54.919 these military people. It's like NATO officials. It's the entire 217 00:11:55.679 --> 00:11:59.120 European military alliance. This is crazy. 218 00:12:00.120 --> 00:12:03.440 Fortunately, when I look at Europe today, it's sometimes not 219 00:12:03.519 --> 00:12:07.600 so clear what happened to some of the Cold Wars winners. 220 00:12:08.600 --> 00:12:12.919 I look to Brussels, where EU Commission commissars warned citizens 221 00:12:12.960 --> 00:12:16.080 that they intend to shut down social media during times 222 00:12:16.080 --> 00:12:20.080 of civil unrest the moment they spot what they've judged to. 223 00:12:20.080 --> 00:12:22.440 Be quote, hateful content. 224 00:12:23.639 --> 00:12:26.559 Or to this very country where police have carried out 225 00:12:26.639 --> 00:12:31.279 raids against citizens suspected of posting anti feminist comments online 226 00:12:31.360 --> 00:12:35.559 as part of quote combating misogyny on the Internet. 227 00:12:35.440 --> 00:12:38.399 A day of action. I looked to Sweden. 228 00:12:38.759 --> 00:12:41.879 We're two weeks ago the government convicted a Christian activist 229 00:12:42.440 --> 00:12:47.360 for participating in Kuran burnings that resulted in his friend's murder, 230 00:12:48.240 --> 00:12:52.000 and as the judge in his case chillingly noted, Sweden's 231 00:12:52.080 --> 00:12:56.679 laws to supposedly protect free expression do not in fact 232 00:12:56.799 --> 00:13:01.120 grant and I'm quoting a free pass to do or 233 00:13:01.200 --> 00:13:04.159 say anything without risking offending. 234 00:13:03.919 --> 00:13:05.720 The group that holds that belief. 235 00:13:07.000 --> 00:13:10.480 And perhaps most concerningly, I look to our very dear friends, 236 00:13:10.559 --> 00:13:14.200 the United Kingdom, where the backslide away from conscience rights 237 00:13:14.200 --> 00:13:17.480 has placed the basic liberties of religious Britons in particular, 238 00:13:17.879 --> 00:13:18.840 in the crosshairs. 239 00:13:19.759 --> 00:13:21.240 A little over two years ago. 240 00:13:21.279 --> 00:13:24.759 The British government charged Adam Smith Connor, a fifty one 241 00:13:24.799 --> 00:13:28.840 year old physiotherapist and an Army veteran, with the heinous 242 00:13:28.879 --> 00:13:34.399 crime of standing fifty meters from an abortion clinic and 243 00:13:34.480 --> 00:13:39.879 silently praying for three minutes, not obstructing anyone, not interacting 244 00:13:39.879 --> 00:13:44.519 with anyone, just silently praying on his own. After British 245 00:13:44.559 --> 00:13:47.080 law enforcement spotted him and demanded to know what he 246 00:13:47.120 --> 00:13:51.039 was praying for, Adam replied simply, it was on behalf 247 00:13:51.200 --> 00:13:54.759 of the unborn son he and his former girlfriend had 248 00:13:54.759 --> 00:13:55.919 aboarded years before. 249 00:13:57.240 --> 00:13:58.759 Now, the officers were not moved. 250 00:13:59.159 --> 00:14:03.120 Adam was found guilty of breaking the government's new buffer 251 00:14:03.200 --> 00:14:06.399 zones law, which criminalized as silent prayer and other actions 252 00:14:06.399 --> 00:14:10.240 that could influence a person's decision within two hundred meters 253 00:14:10.279 --> 00:14:13.600 of an abortion facility. He was sentenced to pay thousands 254 00:14:13.679 --> 00:14:15.639 of pounds in legal costs. 255 00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:16.120 To the prosecution. 256 00:14:17.200 --> 00:14:19.120 Now, I wish I could say that this was a fluke, 257 00:14:19.159 --> 00:14:22.080 a one off, crazy example of a badly written law 258 00:14:22.200 --> 00:14:24.720 being enacted against. 259 00:14:24.399 --> 00:14:25.279 A single person. 260 00:14:25.320 --> 00:14:28.399 But no, this last October Just a few months ago, 261 00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:32.360 the Scottish government began distributing letters to citizens whose houses 262 00:14:32.440 --> 00:14:36.480 lay within so called safe access zones, warning them that 263 00:14:36.559 --> 00:14:40.639 even private prayer within their own homes may amount to 264 00:14:40.679 --> 00:14:45.519 breaking the law. Naturally, the government urged readers to report 265 00:14:45.600 --> 00:14:50.279 any fellow citizens suspected guilty of thought crime. In Britain 266 00:14:50.840 --> 00:14:54.919 and across Europe, free speech, I fear is in retreat 267 00:14:55.960 --> 00:14:58.600 and in the interests of comedy, my friends, but also 268 00:14:58.639 --> 00:14:59.759 in the interests of truth. 269 00:15:00.320 --> 00:15:02.519 I will admit that sometimes. 270 00:15:01.879 --> 00:15:06.000 The loudest voices for censorship have come not from within Europe, 271 00:15:06.320 --> 00:15:09.919 but from within my own country, where the prior administration 272 00:15:10.120 --> 00:15:14.720 threatened and bullied social media companies to censors so called misinformation. 273 00:15:15.519 --> 00:15:19.919 Misinformation like, for example, the idea that coronavirus had likely 274 00:15:20.000 --> 00:15:24.480 leaped leaked from a laboratory in China, our own government 275 00:15:24.919 --> 00:15:29.120 encouraged private companies to silence people who dared to utter 276 00:15:29.480 --> 00:15:33.240 what turned out to be an obvious truth. So I 277 00:15:33.279 --> 00:15:36.159 come here today not just with an observation, but with 278 00:15:36.320 --> 00:15:36.960 an offer. 279 00:15:37.639 --> 00:15:38.759 And just as the Biden. 280 00:15:38.519 --> 00:15:42.200 Administration seemed desperate to silence people for speaking their minds, 281 00:15:42.759 --> 00:15:47.200 so the Trump administration will do precisely the opposite, and 282 00:15:47.240 --> 00:15:48.879 I hope that we can work together on that. 283 00:15:49.519 --> 00:15:51.960 I think it's so important that he didn't just go 284 00:15:52.080 --> 00:15:56.159 over there pointing a finger, but rather pointing the finger 285 00:15:56.200 --> 00:16:00.399 back at our own country, because, as you know, I mean, 286 00:16:00.639 --> 00:16:03.480 I cover this with you guys every week. It's all 287 00:16:03.559 --> 00:16:09.039 of the dangers of speech suppression and censorship that is 288 00:16:09.240 --> 00:16:12.320 that the Europeans are experiencing it. We experienced it very 289 00:16:12.360 --> 00:16:16.240 stark fashion in twenty one in particular, it was really bad. 290 00:16:16.679 --> 00:16:19.879 Now they seem to have even additional problems when it 291 00:16:19.919 --> 00:16:22.000 comes to prayer and things of that nature, which I 292 00:16:22.000 --> 00:16:25.720 don't think we are suffering yet. Unfortunately, if you only 293 00:16:25.759 --> 00:16:29.799 point a finger and you don't admit your own country's faults, 294 00:16:30.159 --> 00:16:32.919 then it comes off as kind of school marmish and 295 00:16:33.639 --> 00:16:37.919 lecturing as opposed to these are my actual principles, and 296 00:16:38.600 --> 00:16:41.840 you're falling short, and so are we. Let's work on 297 00:16:42.039 --> 00:16:46.480 being better together. I hope that that's a more productive avenue, 298 00:16:46.519 --> 00:16:48.919 though I doubt they will feel the way I do 299 00:16:49.000 --> 00:16:49.399 about it. 300 00:16:50.159 --> 00:16:53.519 In Washington, there is a new sheriff in town, and 301 00:16:53.639 --> 00:16:55.960 under Donald Trump's leadership, we may. 302 00:16:55.879 --> 00:16:57.840 Disagree with your views, but we. 303 00:16:57.840 --> 00:17:00.039 Will fight to defend your right to offer it, and 304 00:17:00.120 --> 00:17:07.440 the public square agree or disagree. 305 00:17:09.240 --> 00:17:11.960 That's a tepid applause, is it not. 306 00:17:12.839 --> 00:17:15.359 Now we're at the point, of course, that the situation 307 00:17:15.519 --> 00:17:19.920 has gotten so bad that this December, Romania straight up 308 00:17:19.960 --> 00:17:23.799 canceled the results of a presidential election based on the 309 00:17:23.839 --> 00:17:28.799 flimsy suspicions of an intelligence agency and enormous pressure from 310 00:17:28.880 --> 00:17:32.680 its continental neighbors. Now, as I understand it, the argument 311 00:17:32.960 --> 00:17:38.759 was that Russian disinformation had infected the Romanian elections. But 312 00:17:38.839 --> 00:17:42.880 I'd ask my European friends to have some perspective. You 313 00:17:42.920 --> 00:17:46.160 can believe it's wrong for Russia to buy social media 314 00:17:46.160 --> 00:17:49.279 advertisements to influence your elections, We certainly do. 315 00:17:49.839 --> 00:17:50.759 You can condemn it on. 316 00:17:50.720 --> 00:17:53.680 The world stage even but if your democracy can be 317 00:17:53.720 --> 00:17:57.640 destroyed with a few hundred thousand dollars of digital advertising 318 00:17:57.680 --> 00:18:00.880 from a foreign country, then it wasn't very strong to 319 00:18:00.880 --> 00:18:01.319 begin with. 320 00:18:05.559 --> 00:18:08.519 There's like two people clapping in this room filled with 321 00:18:08.599 --> 00:18:12.279 hundreds of people. Oh my goodness, I mean, it's just 322 00:18:12.279 --> 00:18:16.839 so obviously true. It's so obviously true that, yes, if 323 00:18:17.680 --> 00:18:20.599 we don't want to have foreign interference and influence in 324 00:18:20.640 --> 00:18:23.240 our elections, but it is inevitable to a certain extent. 325 00:18:24.039 --> 00:18:29.200 And if you're going to cancel elections because of online advertisising, 326 00:18:29.599 --> 00:18:32.400 which is what they attempted to do with Donald Trump 327 00:18:33.000 --> 00:18:36.160 and what they actually did in Romania, well then your 328 00:18:36.240 --> 00:18:41.119 system is incredibly fragile, incredibly fragile. So I hope that 329 00:18:41.160 --> 00:18:43.839 this I hope that this actually lands with some people 330 00:18:43.880 --> 00:18:46.559 in this room. I sincerely doubt it is, though, but 331 00:18:46.640 --> 00:18:48.640 I am kind of enjoying their agony, to be honest. 332 00:18:50.720 --> 00:18:50.960 Now. 333 00:18:51.039 --> 00:18:53.200 The good news is that I happen to think your 334 00:18:53.240 --> 00:18:57.759 democracies are substantially less brittle than many people apparently fear, 335 00:18:58.319 --> 00:19:01.200 and I really do believe that it'll allowing our citizens 336 00:19:01.240 --> 00:19:05.359 to speak their mind will make them stronger still, which 337 00:19:05.359 --> 00:19:09.319 of course brings us back to Munich, where the organizers 338 00:19:09.319 --> 00:19:13.680 of this very conference have banned lawmakers representing populist parties 339 00:19:13.720 --> 00:19:16.160 on both the left and the right from participating in 340 00:19:16.200 --> 00:19:20.359 these conversations. Now, again, we don't have to agree with 341 00:19:20.519 --> 00:19:25.480 everything or anything that people say, but when people represent, 342 00:19:25.759 --> 00:19:29.680 when political leaders represent an important constituency, it is an 343 00:19:29.680 --> 00:19:34.079 incumbent upon us to at least participate in dialogue with them, 344 00:19:35.039 --> 00:19:36.920 not to many of us on the other side of 345 00:19:36.920 --> 00:19:40.240 the Atlantic, it looks more and more like old entrenched 346 00:19:40.279 --> 00:19:46.400 interests hiding behind ugly Soviet era words like misinformation and disinformation, 347 00:19:46.880 --> 00:19:49.759 who simply don't like the idea that somebody with an 348 00:19:49.759 --> 00:19:54.400 alternative viewpoint might express a different opinion or god forbid, 349 00:19:54.839 --> 00:19:56.079 vote a different. 350 00:19:55.799 --> 00:19:59.920 Way, or even worse when an election. 351 00:20:00.720 --> 00:20:03.920 Man, I mean, just think about how far we've fallen 352 00:20:04.440 --> 00:20:07.720 that to go to the Munich Security Conference and talk 353 00:20:07.759 --> 00:20:10.519 to basically all of the leaders of Europe and to 354 00:20:11.519 --> 00:20:14.359 and not not just Europe, other countries too, but to 355 00:20:14.440 --> 00:20:17.680 have to go there and explain the value of free 356 00:20:17.680 --> 00:20:22.599 speech to the Western world. I mean, we were so 357 00:20:23.000 --> 00:20:28.480 far down the slippery slope, so far like you could 358 00:20:28.480 --> 00:20:30.519 almost not even see us anymore. We were so far 359 00:20:30.559 --> 00:20:34.240 down it that you have to go and explain that, Yes, 360 00:20:35.079 --> 00:20:38.319 people you don't agree with, get to talk. Political parties 361 00:20:38.359 --> 00:20:42.400 you don't agree with, get to actually exist. I mean, specifically, 362 00:20:42.440 --> 00:20:45.519 what he's referencing here, in my opinion, is the AfD, 363 00:20:46.160 --> 00:20:49.759 which is the from my vantage point, it's the center right. 364 00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:53.160 Some say it's the libertarian right wing of the German 365 00:20:54.079 --> 00:21:00.640 political parties. Obviously, our media and European liberal media describe 366 00:21:00.680 --> 00:21:03.240 it as the alt right. I don't think that's it 367 00:21:03.279 --> 00:21:06.240 at all. I think it is a nationalist libertarian movement 368 00:21:06.319 --> 00:21:10.440 to a large extent. But regardless, they are trying to 369 00:21:11.000 --> 00:21:13.839 essentially keep them out of power and trying to demonize 370 00:21:13.880 --> 00:21:15.519 them in the media and doing exactly what they did 371 00:21:15.559 --> 00:21:20.359 to MAGA in America. I mean, that's what's happening, crystal clear. 372 00:21:20.680 --> 00:21:24.240 So I think this is just so profound to have 373 00:21:24.319 --> 00:21:26.039 the Vice president of the United States that has to 374 00:21:26.079 --> 00:21:31.039 go to europe Western liberal democracy epicenter and explain to 375 00:21:31.079 --> 00:21:34.680 them that, hey, in a liberal democracy, you actually have 376 00:21:34.759 --> 00:21:38.119 to have some liberal values like free speech. What do 377 00:21:38.160 --> 00:21:41.839 you think about that? And they're mortified to hear him 378 00:21:41.839 --> 00:21:43.680 say this. It's amazing. 379 00:21:43.880 --> 00:21:46.160 Now, this is a security conference, and I'm sure you 380 00:21:46.200 --> 00:21:49.240 all came here prepared to talk about how exactly you 381 00:21:49.279 --> 00:21:52.519 attend to increase defense spending over the next few years 382 00:21:52.559 --> 00:21:56.440 in line with some new target And that's great because, 383 00:21:56.480 --> 00:22:00.160 as President Trump has made abundantly clear, he believed that 384 00:22:00.200 --> 00:22:03.519 our European friends must play a bigger role in the 385 00:22:03.559 --> 00:22:06.839 future of this continent. We don't think you hear this 386 00:22:06.960 --> 00:22:10.000 term burden sharing, but we think it's an important part 387 00:22:10.039 --> 00:22:13.000 of being in a shared alliance together that the Europeans 388 00:22:13.000 --> 00:22:16.920 step up while America focuses on areas of the world 389 00:22:17.039 --> 00:22:18.119 that are in great danger. 390 00:22:19.119 --> 00:22:21.839 But let me also ask you, how will you. 391 00:22:21.880 --> 00:22:24.920 Even begin to think through the kinds of budgeting questions 392 00:22:25.519 --> 00:22:28.359 if we don't know what it is that we are 393 00:22:28.359 --> 00:22:32.720 defending in the first place. I've heard a lot already 394 00:22:32.720 --> 00:22:35.640 in my conversations, and I've had many, many great conversations 395 00:22:35.680 --> 00:22:38.519 with many people gathered here in this room. I've heard 396 00:22:38.559 --> 00:22:41.359 a lot about what you need to defend yourselves from, 397 00:22:41.480 --> 00:22:44.359 and of course that's important. But what has seemed a 398 00:22:44.440 --> 00:22:47.240 little bit less clear to me, and certainly I think 399 00:22:47.240 --> 00:22:50.480 to many of the citizens of Europe, is what exactly 400 00:22:50.519 --> 00:22:52.519 it is that you're defending yourselves for. 401 00:22:53.160 --> 00:22:54.119