JD Vance, Elon Musk Slam Romania Once Again Over Presidential Election Annulment

Romania’s decision to annul its 2024 presidential election has drawn sharp criticism from prominent American figures, including U.S. Vice President JD Vance and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk. Their remarks have intensified international scrutiny of the controversial move, which was justified by Romanian authorities as a response to alleged Russian interference.

Vice President JD Vance first criticized Romania during his speech at the Munich Security Conference on February 14. He condemned the annulment of the election, calling it a decision based on “flimsy suspicions of an intelligence agency and enormous pressure from its continental neighbours.” Referring to allegations of Russian hybrid warfare that reportedly boosted far-right candidate Călin Georgescu, Vance questioned the strength of Romania’s democracy. “If your democracy can be destroyed with a few hundred thousand dollars of digital advertising from a foreign country, then it wasn’t very strong to begin with,” he said.

Vance reiterated his criticism on February 20 at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington, where he emphasized that shared values are essential for strong transatlantic relations. He accused Romania of undermining democratic principles by cancelling the election. “You don’t have shared values if you cancel elections because you don’t like the result,” Vance stated, adding that such actions erode trust between allies like Romania and the United States.

Adding to the controversy, Elon Musk publicly denounced Marian Enache, the president of Romania’s Constitutional Court, as a “tyrant” for his role in annulling the election. Musk’s comments came after the court invalidated the first-round results due to alleged Russian disinformation campaigns on platforms like TikTok and Telegram. Musk also retweeted posts from conservative commentators criticizing Romania’s handling of the situation, further amplifying global attention.

In reply, interim President Ilie Bolojan assured international partners that Romania remains committed to democratic values and free elections, with new presidential votes scheduled for May 2025.

However, Vance’s remarks have sparked mixed reactions in Bucharest. Opposition politicians welcomed his statements to validate their concerns about transparency and democratic integrity. Meanwhile, government officials argued that cancelling a compromised election was necessary to protect national security.

The criticisms from Vance and Musk highlight growing tensions between Romania and its Western allies over how to address foreign interference without undermining democratic processes. As Romania prepares for new elections in May, these events underscore the challenges NATO and EU countries face in safeguarding their democracies against external threats while maintaining public trust.