Claim: US Vice President JD Vance advocated for the jailed former premier Imran Khan in a recent speech by saying that, “You cannot govern with a mandate of theft by restricting the speech and imprisonment of your opponent.”
Fact: The US Vice President’s remarks about democratic mandates and electoral legitimacy at the Munich Security Conference were directed at European nations, and particularly Romania. He did not refer to Pakistan or any other developing country in South Asia.
A pro-PTI Facebook user shared a clip (archive) of US Vice President JD Vance’s speech at the Munich Security Conference, containing the following text: “غوری پھینک دیا امریکہ کے نائب صدر نے
اپ مخالف کی زبان بندی اور جیل میں ڈال کر چوری کے مینڈیٹ پر حکومت نہیں کر سکتے”
[Translation: The Vice President of the United States threw a fit, saying that
[You] cannot govern with a mandate of theft by restricting the speech and imprisonment of [your] opponent.]
In the video, Vance says, “If you’re going to enjoy competitive economies, if you’re going to enjoy affordable energy and secure supply chains, then you need mandates to govern, because you have to make difficult choices to enjoy all of these things, and of course we know that very well in America. You cannot win a democratic mandate by censoring your opponents or putting them in jail, whether that’s the leader of the opposition, a humble Christian praying in her own home, or a journalist trying to report the news.”
X user @AI_Rehman1 also shared the video (archive), writing, “میونخ سیکورٹی کانفرنس سے امریکی نائب صدر کی تقریر۔
تھرڈ ورلڈ کے لیے۔”
[Translation: US Vice President’s speech at the Munich Security Conference.
For the Third World.]
Munich Security Conference
The 61st Munich Security Conference (MSC) was held from 14 to 16 February 2025, during a significant period of change marked by a new US administration, upcoming German elections, and a new legislative cycle in Brussels. Under the chairmanship of Christoph Heusgen, global leaders and experts gathered with the aim of discussing key security challenges.
The conference opened with remarks by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and covered a wide range of topics over three days, including global governance, democratic resilience, climate security, and regional conflicts, the official website of the MSC stated. It concluded with a focus on Europe’s role in global affairs, as the conference aimed to reaffirm its role as a key platform for impactful international dialogue.
Fact or Fiction?
Soch Fact Check conducted a keyword search using “JD Vance” and “Munich Security Conference” to locate the full speech and understand the context of his remarks.
We found the complete transcript on The Singju Post, an Indian website that publishes transcripts of speeches. The transcript is titled: “FULL TRANSCRIPT: VP JD Vance Remarks at the Munich Security Conference.”
Upon reviewing the full text, we identified the portion featured in the viral video under the section “The Importance of Democratic Mandates.” Vance’s remarks are primarily directed at European nations, not Pakistan or any other developing countries within South Asia.
Just prior to discussing democratic mandates, Vance specifically, criticised the annulment of an election in Romania due to pressure from “continental neighbours” and alleged Russian disinformation. He also mentioned Germany and a “former European commissioner,” expressing concern about election interference and undemocratic trends within Europe.
His comments on mandates focused on the legitimacy of European leadership: “If you’re running in fear of your own voters… You need democratic mandates to accomplish anything of value.”
Throughout the speech, Vance repeatedly said “my European friends” and critiqued institutions such as Brussels, i.e., the EU, as well as the UK, Sweden, Germany, and Romania. His concerns around censorship, democratic backsliding, and civil liberties were situated within a European context.
A review of the same press conference footage from The White House and other news outlets also confirmed that Vance did not refer to Pakistan or the “Third World” at any point.
While the principles Vance discussed, like democratic legitimacy and free speech, are universal, the target audience for these remarks at the Munich Security Conference, particularly those concerning elections and democratic mandates, was European leadership.
Virality
The claim was shared here (archive) and here (archive) on Facebook.
On X, it was shared here (archive).
Conclusion: JD Vance’s remarks about electoral legitimacy and democratic mandate were directed at European leadership, not Pakistan or the “Third World.”
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Background image in cover photo: AP/Matthias Schrader
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