Vance blasts Europe for failing to control its borders

Vice President JD Vance has accused Europe of engaging in 'civilisational [self-death]' by failing to control its borders. The 40-year-old said he fears for the future of the West as he believes many countries in the continent are 'unable or unwilling' to curb the flow of migration. Vance has repeatedly framed European values and policies as being contradictory with those held by the Trump administration.

'The Europeans annoy me sometimes. Yes, I disagree with them on certain issues,' he told Fox News Ingraham Angle show in March. 'You see them starting to limit the free speech of their own citizens even as those citizens are protesting against things like the border invasion that got [US President] Donald Trump and a number of European leaders elected,' Vance said. 'I want Europe to thrive. I want them to be an important ally. Part of that is going to be Europe respecting its own people, respecting its own sovereignty, and America can't do that job for them.'

During the interview, he also credited Christian civilisation, which led to the founding of the United States, to Europe, but added: 'Europe is at risk of engaging in civilisational [self-death].' Zoning in on Germany, which he has criticised before, he said: 'If you have a country like Germany, where you have another few million immigrants come in from countries that are totally culturally incompatible with Germany, then it doesn't matter what I think about Europe. 'Germany will have killed itself, and I hope they don't do that, because I love Germany and I want Germany to thrive.'

Vance's March interview was cast back into the spotlight this week as President Donald Trump completed a five-day trip to Scotland, where he met with Keir Starmer. At a press conference with the British PM, the US president advised his 'not too liberal' friend to cut taxes and end small boat crossings if he wanted to beat Nigel Farage at the next election. 'Keep people safe and with money in their pockets and you win elections,' Trump advised him.

The pair then continued their discussions onboard Air Force One as they flew to have dinner together at Trump MacLeod House & Lodge Trump. During the 250-mile flight, the US president told the PM to stop 'murderers and drug dealers' from coming to Britain. Trump was re-elected with a pledge to prioritise a crackdown on illegal immigration. Since his election victory, he has effectively closed the US's southern border with Mexico and ordered the round-up and deportation of undocumented migrants.

In cities such as Los Angeles, he sent in the National Guard and US Marines to support immigration agents carrying out the round-ups. Although Trump claims those being kicked out of the country are 'as bad as you get', community leaders and activists say the vast majority are not hardened criminals but day labourers and farmers. In Britain, figures such as Farage have repeatedly criticised Starmer for failing to take a similar approach.

Earlier this year Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp accused Starmer of making the UK 'the soft touch of Europe on illegal migration'. Following an unprecedented success for Farage's party in local elections in May, Keir promised a major crackdown over the next four years, saying Britain risked becoming 'an island of strangers'. 'Make no mistake, this plan means migration will fall. That is a promise,' Starmer said. 'If we do need to take further steps... then mark my words, we will.'

It comes as the Prime Minister was seen waving as he boarded the US presidential Boeing 747 at Prestwick on Tuesday after talks at a press conference at Trump's Turnberry golf resort. The PM stood up for green energy hours before boarding the ageing American behemoth, which is built for long-haul journeys rather than a short hop across Scotland.

'We believe in a mix, and obviously oil and gas will be with us for a very long time, and that'll be part of the mix, but also wind, solar, increasingly nuclear (power),' he said. The flight landed at RAF Lossiemouth, due to Aberdeen Airport having too short a runway for the 747. The pair arrived at Trump MacLeod House & Lodge Trump on the Trump International Estate this evening and stood on the steps to greet guests ahead of a private dinner.