Secretary of State Marco Rubio Delivers “Diplomatic Miracle”

Many are saying that Secretary of State Marco Rubio pulled off “a diplomatic miracle” for the Trump Administration. Secretary Rubio delivered a rousing speech in Munich on U.S.-European foreign policy and received a standing ovation.

Obviously, we’re still nine months away from the 2026 midterms, but could this move Sec. Rubio to the front of the line in the upcoming race for the White House in 2028?

As reported by The Hill:

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday sought to reassure Europe that the U.S. still wanted to work together but warned allies against “dangerous delusions” on migration and climate change.

Rubio, during his speech at the annual Munich Security Conference, said the U.S. is “a child of Europe” and they “belong together.”

“We believe that Europe must survive, because the two great wars of the last century serve for us as history’s constant reminder that ultimately, our destiny is and will always be intertwined with yours,” he said, Bloomberg reported.

Rubio added that the “euphoria” at the end of the Cold War resulted in a “dangerous delusion that we had entered ‘the end of history’” where nations would “live in a world without borders where everyone became a citizen of the world.”

The secretary of state also noted that President Trump “demands seriousness and reciprocity from our friends here in Europe,” with “no interest in being polite and orderly caretakers of the west’s managed decline.”

“We do not seek to separate, but to revitalize an old friendship and renew the greatest civilization in human history,” Rubio said, The Guardian reported. “What we want is a reinvigorated alliance that recognizes that what has ailed our societies is not just a set of bad policies, but a malaise of hopelessness and complacency.”

The Munich Security Conference is a forum where global leaders, diplomats, and defense officials gather. Unity is rare. Yet Sec. Rubio, somehow, achieved a semblance of it.. He spoke directly, but not abrasively. His tone remained firm, but not combative. Sec. Rubio did make it crystal clear that America has “no interest in being polite and orderly caretakers of the West’s managed decline.”

Sec. Rubio emphasized that America and Europe are not just economically or militarily aligned, but that we are spiritually and culturally connected as well. That our destinies are intertwined, and that the lessons of the two great wars of the last century are constant reminders of that reality. And when he said America would prefer to pursue renewal together with Europe, you could feel the room respond.

For those of us who have worked in Europe for decades – including through our international affiliate, the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) – this wasn’t just empty rhetoric or some attempt to mollify Europeans. It certainly seemed like a genuine recognition that Europe matters, and that the transatlantic alliance matters. But again, so does reciprocity.

Sec. Rubio also made clear that President Trump demands seriousness and fairness from our European allies, including paying their fair share to NATO and strengthening their own militaries so they don’t have to be dependent on America in a crisis.

 Here at home, whether people want to admit it or not, 2028 is already looming. True, we’re still months away from midterms, but Sec. Rubio’s performance in Munich will absolutely fuel speculation. This felt like a truly “presidential” speech. Hopeful. Diplomatic but firm. Forward-facing. It had echoes of an earlier era of American leadership, while still filtered through the policy framework of the Trump Administration.

Let’s contrast Sec. Rubio’s tone with that of  Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), who was asked a simple, straightforward question: “Would and should the U.S. actually commit U.S. troops to defend Taiwan if China were to move?”

Her response was anything but straightforward. AOC hemmed and hawed. She was hesitant, meandering, and completely avoided anything that could be misconstrued as clarity.

With all due respect, it was embarrassing as an American. She should have been prepared. Compared to AOC, Sec. Rubio’s rhetoric and tone displayed true leadership. And that’s what Europe just witnessed firsthand. 

Today’s Sekulow broadcast included more analysis of Secretary of State Rubio’s remarks in Munich over the weekend. We were also joined by Steve Wiggins, a former member of the Christian band Big Tent Revival and the founder of Groundworks Ministries, to discuss LeBron James’ criticism of Kyrie Irving’s antisemitic comments

Watch the full broadcast below: