At the Munich Security Conference, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio shocked life-support back into the Trans-Atlantic relationship after a year in which tensions had simmered following JD Vance’s disparaging of Europe at the 2025 conference. Secretary Rubio’s remarks struck a radically different tone, emphasising the enduring cultural, historical and strategic ties between the United States and Europe — a bond he said was rooted not just in shared interests but in a common civilisational heritage.
“Europe and the United States of America belong together”, Secretary Rubio said. He then listed a pantheon of European cultural icons, from Shakespeare and Dante to Beethoven, Mozart, Michelangelo and Da Vinci, even citing The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, saying that these achievements “don’t just remind us of our past glories, they foreshadow the wonders that await us in our future.” Secretary Rubio argued that this civilisation, forged together over centuries, must be defended and renewed through cooperation rather than allowed to slip into decline.
He made excuses for JD Vance’s speech of last year and said that Americans may be direct in their council, but this is because they have genuine concerns for Europe. Secretary Rubio said that the US doesn’t want Europe to be weak and that the US’s concerns for Europe are not just drawn from security and economic concerns but also due to the binding spiritual and cultural ties that we have together. Secretary Rubio added that our relationship has to be revitalised to protect our civilisation and way of life.
“Although we live in the Western Hemisphere, we will always remain a child of Europe” – Secretary Marco Rubio said. “America is charting a new era of prosperity and we want to do it with you – our cherished allies – with a Europe that is proud of its heritage and its history And with a Europe that has the means to defend itself and survive.”
Conference Chairman Wolfgang Ischinger thanked Marco Rubio for what he described as a reassuring speech for the transatlantic relationship, adding that the audience had “gasped in relief.”
Secretary Rubio did not miss the the opportunity to extoll President Trump’s policies and said that these policies were meant to strengthen the US. He said past mistakes were made by opening our borders to uncontrolled migration which threatened our security and way of life. He also criticised excessive climate policies which have made governments turn away from the extraction of oil and gas, while our adversaries use these resources as leverage against us. On Ukraine, he said that that the US will keep its sanctions against Russia and its aim is to find a negotiated settlement that will be just to Ukraine. On China he said that China is the second-biggest economy in the world so it would be malpractice not to engage with it, and that despite conflicting national interests we have to ensure to manage and mediate them.
You can listen to his full speech here.
Newsroom
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