President Trump on Friday played defense when asked about Vice President Vance's recent scolding of European leaders about the impacts of immigration and what he decried as restrictions on free speech.

“I heard his speech and he talked about freedom of speech. And I think it’s true in Europe, it’s losing," Trump told reporters at the White House Friday during his latest signing of executive orders. "They’re losing their wonderful right of freedom of speech. I see it. I mean, I thought he made a very good speech, actually, a very brilliant speech."

"Europe has to be careful. And he talked about immigration. And Europe has a big immigration problem," the president added, defending his second in command. "Just take a look at what’s happened with crime. Take a look at what’s happening in various parts of Europe."

His comments come a day after Vance offered his first major speech on the international stage, where he reprimanded his European counterparts for censoring opposing viewpoints and retreating from “fundamental values.” The former Ohio senator argued that Europe's biggest enemy isn't China or Russia, but mass immigration and laws that target speech.

“While the Trump administration is very concerned with European security and believes we can come to a reasonable settlement between Russia and Ukraine … the threat that I worry the most about vis-à-vis Europe is not Russia, it’s not China, it’s not any other external........

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