Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Munich Security Conference

United States Department of State ^ | February 14, 2026 | Marco Rubio

[TheDon]

We gather here today as members of a historic alliance, an alliance that saved and changed the world. When this conference began in 1963, it was in a nation – actually, it was on a continent – that was divided against itself. The line between communism and freedom ran through the heart of Germany. The first barbed fences of the Berlin Wall had gone up just two years prior.

And just months before that first conference, before our predecessors first met here, here in Munich, the Cuban Missile Crisis had brought the world to the brink of nuclear destruction. Even as World War II still burned fresh in the memory of Americans and Europeans alike, we found ourselves staring down the barrel of a new global catastrophe – one with the potential for a new kind of destruction, more apocalyptic and final than anything before in the history of mankind.

At the time of that first gathering, Soviet communism was on the march. Thousands of years of Western civilization hung in the balance. At that time, victory was far from certain. But we were driven by a common purpose. We were unified not just by what we were fighting against; we were unified by what we were fighting for. And together, Europe and America prevailed and a continent was rebuilt. Our people prospered. In time, the East and West blocs were reunited. A civilization was once again made whole.

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TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: conference; europe; germany; rubio

[TheDon]

Read transcript or watch video of the speech at the link.

Well worth your time...for most FReepers. ;<)

Better to hear or read the entire speech rather than highlights or summaries, in my opinion.

[miliantnutcase]

Fantastic speech!

[TheDon]

Agreed. Too bad many Americans, and FReepers, won’t hear it.

[SunkenCiv]

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[Colorado Doug]

Well worth your time...for most FReepers. ;<)

I agree. The speech is one for the history books. Standing ovations and spontaneous applause even. That part confuses me considering the audience but maybe the audience was comprised of the better European leadership and not the Brussels crowd. It was a wonderful speech. Give it a listen. It will be worth your time.