Republican Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt criticized European governments on Fox Business Thursday for their approach to censorship and free speech rights.

European Union (EU) regulators are planning major penalties against Elon Musk‘s platform X for allegedly violating laws against illicit content and disinformation. During an appearance on “The Bottom Line,” Schmitt weighed in on the matter.

“To deliver a message to our European allies, you need to start providing for your own defense and leading and living up to the values you purport all the time and stop lecturing America,” Schmitt said.

The host asked Schmitt to comment on the EU’s plan to fine Musk for allegedly resisting censorship. The senator did not mince words.

“It’s ridiculous. And I think this is part and parcel. They’re also arresting people in countries like the U.K. and in Germany for people protesting peacefully outside of abortion clinics or saying something disparaging about a politician,” Schmitt said.

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Schmitt said he’s frustrated with European leaders who expect American support for Ukraine.

“So it’s really hard for me to listen to these European leaders lecture us about why we need to send troops or money to defend Ukraine’s borders, right, when they say this is all about Western democracy and the United States standing up for democracy when our European allies don’t actually believe in those things anymore, evidently, like they’re unwilling to protect the free speech rights of their citizens,” Schmitt said.

Schmitt also spoke of Vice President JD Vance. Vance recently criticized European policies on free speech, migration and democracy.

“I was in Munich a couple of months ago. JD Vance gave that speech. I was one of a couple of people standing and applauding that,” Schmitt said.

Growing censorship efforts in Europe, Schmitt said, are connected with what he described as a similar campaign inside the United States.

“I think that’s what you’re seeing now, this sort of globalist left. We saw it in this country. Actually, the job I had before this when I was attorney general in Missouri, I had brought the Missouri versus Biden lawsuit that exposed this vast censorship enterprise that Joe Biden was working with, with NGOs [non-governmental organizations] and big tech companies,” Schmitt said. “They wanted to silence dissent, and you’re seeing that in Europe, actually, much more aggressively, I think, than anybody ever thought right now in that country, these sort of globalists who don’t believe in the sovereignty of borders, don’t believe in individual rights, believe in this collectivist mentality.”

Vance, at the Munich Security Conference, said that the European leaders abandoned core democratic principles like free speech and fair elections.

The EU nations met in February in Brussels to strategize on strengthening their mutual defense amid what they said were their concerns about Donald Trump’s second term as president. Fearing reduced U.S. support, EU leaders said they need to meet NATO’s 2% defense spending target and take greater responsibility for their own security.

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