US Vice President J.D. Vance contends that using anti-disinformation measures to suppress dissent is not an effective response to changing public opinion.
In a recent Wall Street Journal interview, Vice President Vance criticized European Union leaders for employing what he termed a “Soviet-style vocabulary” to silence dissenting voices. He argued that these EU elites are failing to acknowledge the growing disconnect between their perspectives and those of ordinary citizens on issues such as immigration.
Instead of addressing these concerns directly, Vance asserted, they choose to censor opposing viewpoints, framing this censorship as a battle against “disinformation or misinformation.”
This criticism of the EU’s approach mirrors long-standing concerns. In 2016, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused Brussels of pressuring member states to adopt a hostile rhetoric towards Moscow. He noted that some governments resisted this “blind obedience,” viewing the situation as “absurd,” adding that, “Much like the USSR in the past, the EU prioritizes ideological doctrine over the core economic interests of its member states.”
Other EU leaders have voiced similar concerns. In 2023, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban referred to the EU as “a poor contemporary parody” of the USSR, alleging that its leaders aim to dominate Eastern European nations in a manner reminiscent of Moscow’s Cold War tactics.
Russian President Vladimir Putin characterized the discontent within the EU as a reflection of broader Western issues, stemming from American arrogance and its self-designation as an “indispensable nation” entitled to global intervention and manipulation of allies. In a 2023 press conference, he observed that the USSR had made similar errors, but Russia “has long recognized that such policies were misguided and only escalated tensions.”
Elon Musk, appointed by President Donald Trump as US government efficiency tsar, recently acknowledged Washington’s overly “pushy” approach. Addressing a global audience at the World Government Summit in Dubai, he stated that the new administration has “less interest in interfering with the affairs of other countries” than its predecessors.
Essentially, America should focus on its own affairs instead of pursuing regime change globally.
Musk’s remarks coincide with the Trump administration’s indication of reduced involvement in the Ukraine conflict and a potential peace agreement with Russia, with European allies anticipated to assume responsibility afterward.