US political commentator Michael Knowles has claimed that "liberal elites" at the Munich Security Conference "had good reason to cry" as their "corrupt political order is coming to an end."
Speaking to GB News, Knowles praised JD Vance's speech at the conference, which he likened to Ronald Reagan's historic "tear down this wall" address.
It comes after US Vice-President JD Vance delivered a scathing rebuke of European leadership, challenging the continent's commitment to fundamental democratic values.
In a confrontational address on Friday, Vance accused European leaders of suppressing free speech and running from voters' true beliefs.
Michael Knowles has claimed that "liberal elites" at the Munich Security Conference "had good reason to cry"
GB News
The vice-president painted a stark picture of European politics, describing it as infected by media censorship and cancelled elections.
Rather than focusing on external threats from Russia or China, Vance argued that Europe's greatest challenge comes from within, pointing to what he called the continent's retreat from its "most fundamental values".
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Knowles told GB News: "Ronald Reagan flew to Germany and he gave his famous tear down this wall speech. I think what JD Vance gave in Munich was the tear down this firewall speech.
"He called out the Germans and the Europeans more broadly, directly. He said people are afraid of their own citizens. You set up firewalls to stop your citizens from having a say over basic national questions.
"They arrest citizens not just in continental Europe, but even in the UK for praying in their own heads, in their own minds, silently, outside of abortion mills.
"They launch midnight raids in Germany on citizens for posting things that you don't like politically on Facebook. And what JD Vance said is we're not going to underwrite that anymore.
JD Vance spoke at the Munich Security Conference
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"The United States is happy to be the leader of the free world, to provide the great lion's share of of security for the West. But we are not going to subsidise the liberal European leaders, undermining their own citizens and trampling on their legitimate rights.
"I think that you've seen in your own country with the wonderful Brexit vote, you've seen throughout continental Europe in the election of Giorgia Meloni, or in the election of Viktor Orban or many other right wing leaders.
"You've seen this push by ordinary Europeans and Brits to say this liberal status quo is not working for us. And in comes President Trump. We've had our own problems in that regard.
"He finally comes into power again with the majority of Americans behind him. And he says, you know what? We have a new sheriff in town, not just in Washington, but throughout the West broadly.
"When the liberal elites, the Munich Security Conference, were crying at the end of that conference, I think they had good reason to cry because their corrupt political order is coming to an end."
The tensions highlighted in Vance's speech come amid escalating diplomatic strains, particularly regarding Ukraine.
President Trump recently branded Ukrainian President Zelensky a "dictator", prompting sharp rebuke from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who called the comments "false and dangerous".
The confrontational tone of US leadership has sparked concern across European capitals.
