Did German diplomat Christoph Heusgen become emotional on stage at the Munich Security Conference because US Vice President J.D. Vance had earlier criticized Europe in his speech at the event? No, that's not true: Heusgen became emotional while bidding farewell as the event chairman. Both Heusgen and the Munich Security Conference explained that the video showing Heusgen's emotional reaction to Vance's speech was an edited version of his remarks. It is also evident from the full version of his speech posted on the event's website that his emotional reaction is unrelated to Vance's remarks.
The claim appeared in a video (archived here) published on TikTok on February 18, 2024. The video is a screenshot of a Facebook post by Jiri Rajchl, the leader of the Czech non-parliamentary party PRO (archived here). The post, translated into Czech by Lead Stories staff, says:
Everything is captured in this photo. The American vice president serves the truth to the euro-bureaucrats right in their faces, and they will burst into tears. That's what I call a strong Europe.
(Source: TikTok screenshot taken on Fri Feb 7 18:08:56 2025 UTC)
Jindrich Rajchl (archived here) is the head of the Czech non-parliamentary party PRO, which is known for its anti-EU and anti-Ukrainian (archived here) aid views.
Christoph Heusgen (archived here) is a German diplomat who served as a Chairman of the Munich Security Conference between 2022 and 2025 to be succeeded by former NATO Chairman Jens Stoltenberg (archived here). He has previously worked as an advisor to German Chancellor Angela Merkel and as Germany's Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
In his closing remarks at the Munich Security Conference, held on February 16, 2024 (full version of which can be viewed here - archived here - as posted on the event´s website), Heusgen mentions J.D. Vance's speech (archived here), which the US Vice President had delivered earlier at the same event. Heusgen refers to Vance at the 1:12 mark of the recording and says:
After the speech of Vice-President Vance on Friday, we have to fear that our common value base is not that common anymore. I am very grateful to all those European politicians that spoke out and reaffirmed the values and principles that they are defending. None did this better than President Zelenskyy, who has been fighting for these values, democracy, freedom, and rule of law for the past three years.
Heusgen then talks about European leaders' reactions to current events and US policy towards Russia, warning against the appeasement of Putin and summarising other issues such as cyber security, climate change, or food security that were also covered at the event. At around the 5:45 mark of the recording, he becomes emotional and sheds tears as he says farewell to the event: "Let me conclude, and this becomes difficult...," followed by applause from the audience. Hesgeun then steps down from the stage, greets viewers, and receives a standing ovation from the audience.
The recording clearly shows that Hesgen spoke calmly about Vance's speech and its impact and only became emotional as he said goodbye after covering other topics. Also, both Heusgen himself and the event denied on their official X accounts that Heusgen was crying over Vance.
The Munich Security Conference X post from February 17, 2025 (archived here) says:
Our former Chair Christoph Heusgen did not shed a few tears out of "frustration." It was his farewell speech as he was leaving the MSC after this year's conference. He was saying goodbye to the team at this very moment.
The post then refers to a video with Heusgen's speech edited and shows that he got emotional right after mentioning Vance's speech in his remarks. 
(Source: X screenshot taken on Thu Feb 20 14:06:04 2025 UTC)
Heusgen also himself posted on his X account (archived here) on February 17, 2025, that he was "truly" touched by the farewell he received from his team and that it was a "very emotional moment" on stage at the end of his term. He also says that an edited video takes the scene of his departure "out of context".
(Source: X screenshot taken on Thu Feb 20 14:07:20 2025 UTC)
(Source: X screenshot taken on Thu Feb 20 14:07:53 2025 UTC)
