At the 2025 Munich Security Conference (MSC) in February, the world underwent what can only be described as a geopolitical vibe shift. A horrific car-ramming attack on the eve of the event set the tone for a rancorous long weekend during which Nato, the institutional bedrock of the MSC, was ripped asunder by JD Vance, the US vice-president, who fired a rhetorical salvo on the opening morning that reverberated across the whole continent. Here are five things that I learned during a tumultuous three days in Bavaria. 

Munich is the Davos of a rearming world
For years, the MSC has followed a week or two behind the World Economic Forum’s get-together on the other side of the Zugspitze. The former was seen as a Cold War anachronism during the era of hyper-globalisation, when heads of state and CEOs favoured Davos as a place to do deals while enjoying Mitteleuropa’s hospitality. But in a more security-conscious world, the MSC has regained its relevance and this year’s event was the hotter ticket for both politicians and big business. 

Are journalists the real enemy within?
Much eye-rolling greeted Vance’s description of Europe’s gravest threat as the “enemy within” – what he saw as illiberal constraints on freedom of expression. But I was troubled by how the media were treated at this year’s MSC. Herded into a marquee 10 minutes’ walk from the Hotel Bayerischer Hof, we were only allowed into the main venue with a pre-arranged meeting and a security person in tow. Given the profile of the attendees, the organisers were understandably on edge but a free press is something that the conference was founded to defend. Every journalist there had been background-checked – so trust us to behave ourselves among the grown-ups next time.

The power of hot air
Vance’s excoriating address on the opening morning became the talking point of the weekend, though perhaps not for the reasons that he intended. Still, in an age in which political rhetoric appears to be either a soundbite or a rant, it was notable for the power of its (slightly loony) message. A few hours later, Germany’s defence minister, Boris Pistorius, tore up his own prepared speech to deliver a rebuttal. It might have felt a little unseemly to have two apparent allies engaged in a public slanging match but it was interesting to witness a speech that is likely to go down in history for its impact on global security. 

The US still cares about its own safety 
The security surrounding a high-level US official is almost artful in its sustained choreography. Vance’s exit from the Bayerischer Hof featured a 35-strong convoy, including several armour-plated Chevrolet Suburban SUVs, which are flown around the world alongside the vice-president. The long periods spent shivering at checkpoints while Secret Service men with M16s frowned with distaste and barking Polizei ordered you back were also a taste of American over-the-top protocol.

Don’t break the rules in a beer hall
On entering one of Munich’s most famous beer halls, I immediately began to get under my waiter’s collarless shirt. My first sin was to sit at a table with a laminated “Reserved” placard on it. After I explained that I would be gone before the 19.00 reservation, I was allowed to remain. I ordered a glass of the house ale; one litre arrived. I asked for a replacement; my request was denied. Then I got my card out to pay – this was the final insult. My glass was snatched from me and a finger pointed towards the door. I could say that this denial of my freedom of expression was relatively small beer compared to the geopolitical gravity of utterances made elsewhere in Munich that weekend but it was actually a very big beer.