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JD Vance tangles with British PM Starmer over ‘infringements on free speech’ in contentious Oval Office meeting
NY Post ^ | 2/27/25 | Ryan King

Posted on 02/28/2025 2:32:18 AM PST by Libloather

The “special relationship” between the US and the UK got awkward Thursday, when Vice President JD Vance confronted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in the Oval Office over the longtime American ally’s weakening of freedom of speech.

Earlier this month, at the Munich Security Conference, Vance had riled European opinion by decrying what he called “the threat from within, the retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values—values shared with the United States of America.”

Vance stood by his comments Thursday when pressed by a reporter, saying: “I said what I said, which is that we do have, of course, a special relationship with our friends in the UK and also with some of our European allies.

“But we also know that there have been infringements on free speech that actually affect not just the British, of course, what the British do in their own country is up to them,” the 40-year-old added, “but also affect American technology companies and, by extension, American citizens. So that is something that we’ll talk about today at lunch.”

Seated just a few feet away from Vance, Starmer chimed in to defend his country’s speech codes.

“We’ve had free speech for a very, very long time in in the United Kingdom, and it will last for a very, very long time,” said the 62-year-old Labour Party politician.

“Certainly, we wouldn’t want to reach across [and US citizens, and we don’t, and that’s absolutely right,” he told Vance. “But in relation to free speech in the UK, I’m really proud of that — our history there.”

In Munich, Vance had rattled off examples of criminal convictions in Europe for what would be protected First Amendment activity in America, including the case of 51-year-old British Army veteran and physiotherapist Adam Smith-Connor, who was ordered...

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; History; Local News; Travel
KEYWORDS: british; free; speech; starmer
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JD kinda lookin' presidential.
1 posted on 02/28/2025 2:32:18 AM PST by Libloather
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To: Libloather
There’s no free speech in the UK right now.
2 posted on 02/28/2025 2:38:38 AM PST by SmokingJoe
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To: Libloather

J.D. is a bulldog. Got that from his Mamaw (she was a firecracker).


3 posted on 02/28/2025 2:55:43 AM PST by RoosterRedux ("There's nothing so inert as a closed mind" )
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To: Libloather
Good for JD Vance. Starmer is a lying POS politician.
4 posted on 02/28/2025 2:59:28 AM PST by McGruff (Biden will go down in history as the worst president ever.)
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To: Libloather

Speaking of what the UK enemed7a us refusing to report, with this one interesting exception...

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2025/feb/27/donald-trump-asks-keir-starmer-if-uk-can-take-on-russia-by-itself-video


5 posted on 02/28/2025 3:01:17 AM PST by mewzilla (Swing away, Mr. President, swing away!)
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To: McGruff

So why is the UK’s enemedia, for the most part, covering up for Two Tier Free Gear Keir by refusing to report on Trump’s question on whether or not the UK could go it alone against Russia...

Note to the UK: Folks, you need to watch this stuff yourselves. Your enemedia works gor your Deep State. And now that the US taxpayer cash cow has left the barn, the EU needs you and your money desperately.

If you submit, don’t expect us to come to your defense this time.


6 posted on 02/28/2025 3:06:44 AM PST by mewzilla (Swing away, Mr. President, swing away!)
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To: McGruff

He’s a commie. Goes with the show.


7 posted on 02/28/2025 3:09:46 AM PST by RushIsMyTeddyBear ("Uncle Sugar" is being audited and having an enema.)
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To: SmokingJoe
There’s no free speech in the UK right now.

There wasn't when we separated from them either. England has a long history of oppressing the subjects.

8 posted on 02/28/2025 3:26:41 AM PST by GingisK
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To: mewzilla
This is why diplomats use a cutout.

President Trump sends Vice President JD Vance to rightly criticized the Europeans for violation of tenants of free speech universally accepted within the Western world.

The Prime Minister of Great Britain now has space to defend his country without directly contradicting the president of the United States.

Point and counterpoint made and everyone still friends.


9 posted on 02/28/2025 3:59:17 AM PST by nathanbedford (Attack, repeat, attack! - Bull Halsey)
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To: nathanbedford

Two Tier Free Gear Keir isn’t there to defend his country.

He’s there to cover for the people who came with him who are there to protect the UK’s Deep State.

Pres. Trump knows very well who he’s really dealing with.

So does Vance.


10 posted on 02/28/2025 4:01:38 AM PST by mewzilla (Swing away, Mr. President, swing away!)
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To: nathanbedford

TTFGK is just another POTATUS.


11 posted on 02/28/2025 4:02:10 AM PST by mewzilla (Swing away, Mr. President, swing away!)
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To: Libloather

The Maoists are *firmly* in charge in Britain. They got a massive majority last July so there’s no way there’ll be another election before June 2029. If we think that things got bad with The Big Guy’s 4 years wait until we see what happens to Britain over 5 years of these psychopaths.


12 posted on 02/28/2025 4:03:44 AM PST by Gay State Conservative (Import The Third World,Become The Third World)
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To: mewzilla

And no one in power, at the moment, in the UK is defending the UK.

Just their Deep State.


13 posted on 02/28/2025 4:03:59 AM PST by mewzilla (Swing away, Mr. President, swing away!)
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To: mewzilla
Pres. Trump knows very well who he’s really dealing with.

So does Vance.

Of course they do, that's why they use a cut out. The Prime Minister of Great Britain is equally aware and addresses his comments to the vice president for the very same reasons.

What you have to say about the deviousness of perfidious Albion may or may not be true but it is also true that they know how to play the political game and I'm delighted to say that Trump does as well.


14 posted on 02/28/2025 4:13:25 AM PST by nathanbedford (Attack, repeat, attack! - Bull Halsey)
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To: nathanbedford

And by the time Vance is president Starmer will be gone and Farage will be PM, or a few months away of becoming so.


15 posted on 02/28/2025 4:21:01 AM PST by sinsofsolarempirefan
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To: Libloather
He's an excellent messenger. Like Trump, his conversations are down to earth.

I can picture Vance doing something similar to Fireside Chats when he's President in 4 years.

We need the House with a better majority in 2 years.

16 posted on 02/28/2025 5:00:32 AM PST by Sacajaweau
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To: SmokingJoe
Oh they have free speech alright. But you just might go to jail for it.
17 posted on 02/28/2025 5:16:21 AM PST by Dave911
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To: Dave911

Number three
You have the right to free Speech
As long as
You’re not dumb enough to actually try it

-The Clash (Know Your Rights)


18 posted on 02/28/2025 5:19:25 AM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: RoosterRedux
>> "J.D. is a bulldog. Got that from his Mamaw (she was a firecracker)." <<

Mamaw & Papaw taught him well. 🙂
19 posted on 02/28/2025 5:19:52 AM PST by ANKE69 ( 🇺🇲 Let's MAGA 🇺🇲)
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To: Libloather

Good for J.D.! Few Americans are even aware of what a blessing “real” free speech is.

No where else in the world can you actually contest your “rights” as you can in the U.S.A.

Try and say anything anti-islamic or anti-woke anywhere else in this world and see if they don’t clap you in irons (and keep you there)

Tommy Robinson comes to mind.


20 posted on 02/28/2025 7:09:08 AM PST by old school
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