Sen. Chris Murphy Claps Back at VP J.D. Vance Over ‘Free Speech’ Hypocrisy Amid Trump-Musk Controversy

Vice President J.D. Vance faced swift rebuttal from Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) after alleging that European nations are attacking free speech. Vance was responding to a news clip in which German prosecutors were asked, “Is posting an insult a crime?” and “Is it a crime to repost a lie?”—to which they answered, “Yes.”

Germany, like many European nations, upholds a right to free speech, but with stricter legal limitations than the U.S. Constitution. Hate speech is criminalized, a measure influenced by the nation’s historical experience with Nazi rule. Recently, German authorities have intensified efforts to police online hate speech, sparking debate over the extent of speech protections.

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“Insulting someone is not a crime, and criminalizing speech is going to put a real strain on European-US relationships,” Vance responded to the clip shared by the right-wing X account End Wokeness. “This is Orwellian, and everyone in Europe and the U.S. must reject this lunacy.” Murphy, however, was quick to highlight what he saw as hypocrisy, given the actions of Trump and his allies in suppressing dissent.

“Now do you guys,” Murphy shot back, sharing a screenshot of a post by pro-Trump tech billionaire Elon Musk. Musk, who has also criticized Germany’s hate speech laws, had written, “60 Minutes are the biggest liars in the world! They engaged in deliberate deception to interfere with the last election. They deserve a long prison sentence.”

Musk’s remark referenced an unsubstantiated conspiracy theory pushed by President Donald Trump, alleging that CBS’s 60 Minutes selectively edited an interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris to improve her public image. Trump, who declined an offer for his own 60 Minutes interview, has since threatened CBS with revoking its broadcast license and even filed a personal lawsuit against the network.

In recent weeks, CBS’s parent company, Paramount, has reportedly explored settling the lawsuit, despite experts dismissing it as baseless. The motivation, insiders suggest, is to avoid jeopardizing a planned multibillion-dollar merger with entertainment giant Skydance.

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However, some Paramount executives worry that settling could create the perception of bribing the administration to bypass trade regulations, potentially exposing them to shareholder lawsuits or even criminal charges.

The exchange between Vance and Murphy underscores the broader political battle over free speech, as figures on both sides accuse their opponents of weaponizing legal systems to suppress opposing voices.

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