It was unbelievable when I read in every major publication that the trans-Atlantic alliance was dead last month. The first stage of grief is denial, and I was in denial about this death.
I learned this lesson last week, when I saw Secretary of State Marco Rubio give a speech at the prestigious Munich Security Conference. The annual event is a gathering of major figures from North America and Europe, from politicians to intellectuals and journalists, to discuss the state of the relationship. When Rubio ended this speech, the entire room gave him a standing ovation. It turns out that I was right to be in denial because the patient is very much alive!
Trans-Atlantic relations are rocky, but that is nothing new. Americans and Europeans have always had their differences and always will. It takes an extraordinarily talented rhetorician to use a low point in relationships to the advantage of the alliance, and that is exactly what Rubio did. He did not retract anything that the administration officials have said about Europe. All he did was add a caveat: We yell at you because we love you, and because we think that your decline is ours.
Here’s a breakdown of his speech. Rubio began by establishing his intelligence by showing off his knowledge of European history. Then, he reminded Europe of America’s common values and history with the continent. He praised Europe and advised that anyone with such a magnificent cultural and civilizational history should be proud of it. And then the lecturing began, about what had gone awry, from the “climate cult” to shipping our industries to China with its cheating trade practices to mass migration that is a threat to the fabric of our societies.
The speech was a loop. He kept repeating this in different contexts: Europe is great, we have a shared history and linked future, and we have collectively made mistakes that we must undo.
Rubio reminded his audience of how European migrants became Americans and built our country, how our ancestors fought together to preserve Western civilization, as recently as this century in Afghanistan, and that Americans saved in World War II, rebuilt it afer it was over, and defended it from Soviet communism because Europe has always been and will always be a vital interest of the United States because of shared culture, ancestry, and religion, as well as deep economic ties.
After he established his support for Europe, he defended America and the administration. He mentioned that, only in his first year, President Donald Trump ended the war in Gaza, destroyed Iran’s nuclear program, and brought Maduro to justice. “In a perfect world, diplomats would solve these problems, but we don’t live in a perfect world.” This was a reminder that the Europeans, who have let go of their militaries, needed to hear. Rubio also added that all these accomplishments were possibly only because of American leadership. Which is the diplomatic way of saying that you might not like us sometimes, but you will always need us.
A lot has been said about how the current administration hates alliances. It is a lie. Rubio addressed American criticisms of Europe:
We do not want allies to rationalize the broken status quo rather than reckon with what is necessary to fix it, for we in America have no interest in being polite and orderly caretakers of the West’s managed decline.
He then reminded Europeans of what America and Europe accomplished when they worked together, including defeating global communism, and set the record straight by ending the speech on a strong note: We want strong allies. Which is to say, the administration doesn’t hate our allies; it hates that they are weak:
And this is why we do not want allies to rationalize the broken status quo rather than reckon with what is necessary to fix it, for we in America have 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. 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.
Rubio’s speech was also brilliant because he recognized the moment. Europeans are waking up to the foolishness of their recent decisions. They are getting a divorce from the climate cult, cracking down on mass migration, and reinvesting in their militaries. He wasn’t telling them something they didn’t want to hear. Instead, Rubio told them that America will be by their side and help them through it like a good friend. It was reassuring to hold their hands while they went down this new path.
The message was clear: America’s heritage is European, and its future is linked with Europe. If we are mean to you, it is out of love, not resentment. Our friendship is rooted in history and values, and nothing will change this. We are proud of your past, and it is time that you be proud of yourself once again.
The thing is, most people love their countries. If you go to them and praise their countries, they will welcome you as a friend. If you go to them and yell at them about why their country is bad, they will be defensive, even if you are right. Rubio took the first route. He ended his speech by saying:
We want to [rebuild the global order] together with you, with a Europe that is proud of its heritage and of its history; with a Europe that has the spirit of creation of liberty that sent ships out into uncharted seas and birthed our civilization; with a Europe that has the means to defend itself and the will to survive. We should be proud of what we achieved together in the last century, but now we must confront and embrace the opportunities of a new one—because yesterday is over, the future is inevitable, and our destiny together awaits. Thank you.
When he finished, everyone got on their feet, applauding America and the Trump administration’s messenger to Europe. Any supporter of the president should be proud of the work our secretary of state did in representing us. The Democrats kept talking about winning over the respect of our allies, but the Trump administration and Rubio are the ones who actually accomplished it in Munich.