Rubio softens U.S. stance towards Europe in Munich speech
At the Munich Security Conference, U.S. secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered a keynote urging a reassuring yet candid stance toward NATO partners, insisting that the United States and Europe “belong together” and that Europe’s fate will never be irrelevant to Americans. He presented a softer tone than the earlier fiery address by Deputy Defense Secretary JD Vance, but argued that the alliance needs work and that Washington seeks enduring partnerships rather than “polite and orderly caretakers of the West’s managed decline.” Rubio asserted that an end to the transatlantic era is neither the goal nor the reality, insisting Americans see themselves as “a child of Europe” with shared civilization and interests. European leaders reacted with cautious optimism: Estonia’s defense minister called the speech bold but noted much work remains, while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called it reassuring but signaled that some in the governance tilt harder on these issues. The piece places Rubio’s remarks within broader U.S.debates over NATO commitments, the Pentagon’s evolving security posture, and steps toward renewing transatlantic ties, including references to a potential 2028 ticket dynamics and ongoing renewal under trump-era messaging.
Rubio breaks with Vance in tone of Munich address and tells Europe ‘we belong together’
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday opted for a reassuring, though prodding, stance toward NATO partners at the Munich Security Conference, signaling the United States still views Europe as an essential ally.
The U.S. and Europe “belong together,” Rubio said in a highly anticipated keynote address, adding that the fate of Europe will “never be irrelevant to our own.”
The secretary notably struck a softer tone toward Europe than Vice President JD Vance did in a speech to the conference last year. At the time, Vance shocked allies with an address accusing Europe of abandoning commitments to free speech, religious liberty, and other democratic ideals. In the months since, the administration has also chosen to take a more mercurial approach to NATO partners than in years past, a stance embodied in the Pentagon’s 2025 National Security Strategy, which says “it is far from obvious whether certain European countries will have economies and militaries strong enough to remain reliable allies.”
VANCE AND RUBIO GET 2028 PRESIDENTIAL TICKET EXPOSURE IN MILAN FOR OLYMPICS
This week, Rubio continued to maintain that the alliance needs fixing, saying the U.S. has no interest in being “polite and orderly caretakers of the West’s managed decline.” But he emphasized that Washington wishes to continue partnerships with European allies.
An end of the trans-Atlantic era “is neither our goal nor our wish,” Rubio said. “For us Americans, home may be in the Western Hemisphere, but we will always be a child of Europe,” he added, stressing that countries on both sides of the Atlantic were “heirs to the same great and noble civilization.”
Hanno Pevkur, the defense minister of the EU and NATO member Estonia, said it was “quite a bold statement to say that America is ‘a child of Europe.’”
“It was a good speech, needed here today, but that doesn’t mean that we can rest on pillows now,” he told the Associated Press. “So still a lot of work has to be done.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Rubio’s speech was “very reassuring.” But she noted that “in the administration, some have a harsher tone on these topics,” likely referring to figures such as Vance and Undersecretary of Defense for policy Elbridge Colby.
The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT), told the New York Times that Rubio’s speech “changed the weather around here really pretty rapidly,” and “made our jobs easier,” referring to dozens of lawmakers like him who flocked to Munich to reassure European leaders that Washington will not abandon them.
During his speech, Rubio sought to explain why “Americans may sometimes come off as a little direct and urgent in our counsel,” a tactic that has alarmed European leaders such as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
ARIZONA SHERIFF DENIES REPORT HE BLOCKED NANCY GUTHRIE EVIDENCE FROM FBI
The “euphoria” of the Western victory in the Cold War led to a “dangerous delusion… that every nation would now be a liberal democracy,” he said, adding that “now together we owe it to our people to face those facts and to move forward to rebuild.”
Under President Donald Trump’s leadership, the U.S. “will once again take on the task of renewal and restoration,” Rubio said. “This is why we Americans may sometimes come off as a little direct and urgent in our counsel. This is why President Trump demands seriousness and reciprocity from our friends here in Europe.”
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
