In a highly anticipated speech at the Munich Security Conference, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio struck a delicate balance, urging transatlantic unity while also criticizing European policies on migration and climate change. What this really means is that the Trump administration is looking to reset relations with its traditional allies, but on its own terms.
Rubio described the US as a "child of Europe" and said the two continents "belong together", a softer tone compared to the blistering attacks leveled by Vice President JD Vance at last year's conference. However, the secretary of state made clear that the administration's core grievances with Europe remain, including on issues like immigration and the "climate cult" that has supposedly "taken over" economic policy.
Reassuring Allies, Pushing Trump's Agenda
The overall message was one of reassurance, with Rubio telling European leaders the US wants to "revitalize an old friendship and renew the greatest civilisation in human history." But he also made it clear that this renewal would happen on the Trump administration's terms, with a focus on "sovereignty, reindustrialization and military strength."
As Politico reported, Rubio rehashed the administration's longstanding complaints about the failure of international institutions, unfettered trade, and energy policies that are "impoverishing our people." He also doubled down on the push to get Europe to spend more on defense, saying "We want allies who can defend themselves so that no adversary will ever be tempted to test our collective strength."
Bridging the Divide?
The bigger picture here is that the Trump administration is trying to chart a new course for the transatlantic relationship, one that is less focused on shared values and more on hard-nosed geopolitical interests. As the BBC noted, Rubio's tone was markedly different from Vance's scathing rebuke last year, but the underlying message remained the same: Europe needs to fall in line with the US or risk being left behind.
Whether European leaders will be willing to accept this new reality remains to be seen. As recent analysis has shown, there is a growing push within Europe to assert its own global ambitions and reduce dependence on the US. Rubio's speech suggests the Trump administration is aware of this shift and is trying to get ahead of it, but the path to a renewed transatlantic partnership still looks rocky.