Vice President JD Vance triggered a sharp dispute between Washington and London on Friday after linking the killing of a British teenager to what he described as the destructive consequences of mass migration and the decline of Western civilization.
His remarks focused on the murder of 18-year-old Henry Nowak and drew an immediate response from the British government, which accused outside figures of attempting to meddle in the country’s internal affairs and deepen social divisions.
In a post on X, Vance wrote, “Henry Nowak died the same way a civilization dies: abandoned, handcuffed by authorities who neither trusted nor cared for him, and accused of hate crimes he did not commit.”
“His murder is as tragic as it is enraging.”
Vance, who has frequently criticized immigration policies across Europe, argued that the case should provoke what he called “righteous anger” among the public.
The death of Nowak has become a major flashpoint for conservatives and anti-migration activists internationally. The teenager was handcuffed by police while gravely wounded after being stabbed by Vickrum Digwa in Southampton in December. The case fueled widespread outrage and was followed by riots in parts of Britain.
Authorities said Digwa, 23, falsely claimed to police that he was the victim and alleged that Nowak had directed racial insults toward him.
The case has also attracted significant attention from Elon Musk, who has repeatedly criticized the police response on social media.
On Thursday, the U.S. State Department entered the controversy as well, condemning what it described as “ideological conditioning and two-tiered policing” connected to the incident.
Vance became the highest-ranking member of President Donald Trump’s administration to publicly address the case.
Expanding on his criticism, Vance stated, “He should still be alive today, and he would be if the last few generations of European elites had stood their ground against the politics of self-hatred and the mass invasion of migrants, many of whom despise the West and the people who love it.”
“Henry was far from the first to so needlessly lose his life, and I fear he won’t be the last.”
The vice president has been one of the administration’s most outspoken advocates of the view that large-scale migration is contributing to the erosion of Western societies and institutions.
British officials quickly pushed back against the American criticism.
In a statement issued by the office of Prime Minister Keir Starmer, a spokesperson said, “We have seen people trying to interfere in our democracy and seeking to stir up division on our streets.”
The spokesperson also noted that Henry Nowak’s relatives had publicly stated that they did not want his death “to be used to create further division, hatred or tension.”
Starmer himself took aim at Musk a day earlier, accusing the billionaire of “trying to whip up division” in Britain.
{Matzav.com}