Vance: If US survived Greta Thunberg, Europe 'can survive a few months of Elon Musk'

Vice President Vance on Friday chided European leaders for their criticism of Elon Musk wading into their elections, comparing Musk's actions to Swedish activist Greta Thunberg urging American leaders to take action on climate change.

In a speech at the Munich Security Conference, Vance accused European leaders of suppressing free speech and marginalizing populist voices in their political systems. And he offered a tongue-in-cheek response to those in Europe who have taken issue with Musk, the tech billionaire and ally of President Trump, getting involved in their politics.

"I believe that dismissing people, dismissing their concerns, or worse yet, shutting down media, shutting down elections or shutting people out of the political process protects nothing. In fact, it is the most surefire way to destroy democracy," Vance said.

"And speaking up and expressing opinions isn’t election interference, even when people express views outside your own country, and even when those people are very influential," he continued. "And trust me, I say this with all humor: If American democracy can survive 10 years of Greta Thunberg’s scolding, you guys can survive a few months of Elon Musk."

Musk is the world's richest person and has emerged as an influential figure in the Trump administration. But he has also taken an interest in European politics, drawing rebukes from some leaders on the continent.

Musk, who owns the social platform X, has boosted far-right political movements in the U.K. and Germany. He’s attacked British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, at one point calling for new elections and suggesting America should "liberate" Britain. Starmer accused Musk and those who amplified his claims of "spreading lies and misinformation as far and as wide as possible."

Musk last month appeared virtually at a rally for the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party and urged attendees not to be ashamed of their country's history. The German government previously accused Musk of meddling in the country’s elections.

Thunberg rose to prominence as a climate activist during the first Trump administration, urging world leaders to take the threat of climate change more seriously. She attended international forums, including the United Nations General Assembly, and at times drew criticism from President Trump.

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