After US Vice President JD Vance caused fear and terror at the recent Munich Security Conference, Secretary of State Marco Rubio's speech was eagerly awaited. To some extent, he managed to calm the continent. However, one thing became clear.
Marco Rubio in Munich called for the renewal and re-establishment of the transatlantic alliance. At the same time, he made it clear that the old liberal world order has come to an end. “Yesterday is over,” Rubio said in his speech. Even before leaving for the capital of Bavaria, the American head of diplomacy said: – The old world is gone, we live in a new era of geopolitics.
At the same time, Rubio painted a grim picture of the old ideology of globalization that led both America and Europe to decline. In his opinion, the triumph over communism contributed to the creation of the illusion of the “end of history”. This has led, among other things, to a reduction in military spending in the “naive belief” that the world will enter an era of peace, despite the contrary lessons from 5,000 years of human history.
According to Rubio, the West has sacrificed its industries on the altar of free trade and has long ignored the fact that other countries have undermined our economy with unfair trade practices. Moreover, it has harmed its competitiveness with high energy prices, following the “climate cult”.
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The US Secretary of State also added that the ideology of open borders threatens the cultural identity of the West through mass immigration. “The forces of civilizational destruction threaten both the United States and Europe,” Rubio said.
In his speech, he referred to the inseparable civilizational and historical ties that connect the United States and Europe. Rubio tried in some way redefine transatlantic relations and embed them in the identity ideology of MAGA (“Make America Great Again”), in which the common Christian faith and Western culture are the supporting elements, not abstract ideas about the liberal world order.
From Munich to Hungary and Slovakia
Rubio assured listeners that the Trump government has no intention of dividing Europe. This may have surprised Europeans a bit. After all, the new American national security strategy clearly states that the Trump government wants to support Eurosceptic, Russia-friendly and right-wing populist parties on the continent.
An example of this are the actions of US Undersecretary of State Sarah Rogers, who is responsible for contacts with right-wing movements in Europe and financial support for think tanks sympathizing with MAGA. Rubio's own travel plans also say otherwise. From Munich he goes on to Hungary and Slovakia, two EU countries ruled by populists friendly to Russia and anti-European.
The US foreign minister also did not hide his contempt for what is still important to Europeans. “We can no longer place the so-called rules-based order over the needs of our citizens,” Rubio said. Until his speech, Europeans had primarily discussed how to preserve as much of the rules-based order that had brought prosperity and peace to Europe in the face of the threats posed by the new great power policies based on spheres of influence.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks at the 62nd Munich Security Conference, February 14, 2026.THOMAS KIENZLE/AFP / AFP
Rubio also pointed out that the United Nations has failed on the most important issues of our time. It failed to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, prevent Iran's pursuit of a nuclear bomb, persuade Kiev and Moscow to enter into negotiations, or hold former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro accountable for “narco-terrorism.”
If Marco Rubio's task was to reassure Europeans at the security conference, reassure them of the partnership with the US and create a positive counterweight to Vice President JD Vance's aggressive anti-European speech from a year ago, then in some sense he succeeded. — A sigh of relief passed through the audience conference chairman Wolfgang Ischinger said after Rubio's speech.
“Passive-aggressive message”
Rubio's constant assurances about the common Western heritage and identity of Europe and the US, as well as about the common “fate” that unites both sides, were, however, unable to obscure the fact that his speech it contained many controversial statements and ideological assumptions about Europe. Assumptions that are difficult to reconcile with how many Europeans perceive their continent and the challenges it faces.
“Rubio's message to Europeans is as passive-aggressive as many of the Trump administration's messages in recent days,” notes security expert Nico Lange on
In this respect, Rubio's speech on the danger of “civilizational destruction” was another lecture addressed to Europeans, who exposed the MAGA movement's obsession on identity and cultural issues.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
