Rubio Urges Europe to Awaken From 'Slumber' and Uphold Western Dominance

Covered by The New York Times, Aol and 10 more since

  • Marco Rubio
  • Athens
  • Greece
  • Europe
  • United States
  • Donald Trump
  • Western world
  • Ancient Greece
The Parthenon on the Acropolis in Athens lit by golden dawn light, with the city below still in blue shadow and morning mist.

What happened

On Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio gave a speech in Athens with the Acropolis behind him, saying Europe can "awaken from its long slumber". He said the West stands at a crossroads, warned of a future of "atrophy, servitude and decline" and said the U.S. under President Trump has chosen "the unapologetic pursuit of national power".

Summary

Speaking at sunset from the Pnyx, the hillside where ancient Athenians held their democratic assembly, Rubio told roughly 250 invited guests that the West must recover the ambition that built it. A senior State Department official gave that guest count. Rubio traced a line from ancient Greece through Rome and Christendom to the United States, praising figures such as Alexander the Great, Caesar and Charlemagne. He argued that Western nations grew ashamed of their success, opened their borders, outsourced industry and let their militaries weaken. The ancient Greeks, he said, saw nothing wrong with loyalty to one's nation. He added that the next decade will shape the next century. [1] [2] [5] [6] [10]

The speech came during a three-country tour that began in Iceland and ends in Portugal on Thursday. In Athens, Rubio met Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis for the sixth U.S.-Greece Strategic Dialogue, which covered defense, energy and regional security. Rubio called Greece a "strong and model NATO ally" and a partner on border security and migration. He also praised the country for being on track to spend at least 5 percent of its gross domestic product on defense. Gerapetritis said Greece could offer maritime help in the Strait of Hormuz if a viable peace process takes shape. Asked about the seven-month U.S. war with Iran, Rubio would not say what level of uranium enrichment Washington might accept, saying only that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. [1] [2] [5] [9]

The address built on Rubio's February speech at the Munich Security Conference. The New York Times noted that this time he did not use the phrase "civilizational erasure". CBS News described his account of history as arguably selective, saying it focused on competition and national loyalty rather than democracy. At a news conference, Rubio declined to publicly address allegations that U.S. Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle used her post to benefit private business interests in Greece. Guilfoyle has denied wrongdoing. CNN and The Hill said the speech will fuel talk of a 2028 presidential run, though Rubio has said he has no plans for that at the moment. [1] [2] [5] [11] [12]

Summary written by Vox Populi News from the 12 sources below. See all sources

Key questions

Where did Marco Rubio give his Athens speech?

He spoke from the Pnyx, a hillside facing the Acropolis where ancient Athens' popular assembly once met. He delivered the speech at sunset on Wednesday. [2] [6] [9]

What did Rubio say about Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle?

Asked about allegations that she used her post to benefit private business interests in Greece, Rubio said a news conference was not the place to address them and called her "a strong ambassador". Guilfoyle has denied wrongdoing. [1] [2] [5]

Where is Rubio going after Greece?

Rubio is scheduled to travel to Portugal on Thursday for talks with officials in Lisbon. That stop is the last on a tour that began in Iceland. [1] [2] [9]

Sources 12

  1. 1The New York Times

    Rubio Urges Europe to Awaken From 'Slumber' and Uphold Western Dominance

    Edward Wong is traveling with Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Europe. He has reported on international news for more than two decades as a foreign and diplomatic correspondent.

    Read on The New York Times (opens in a new tab)
  2. 2Aol

    Rubio calls for "unapologetic pursuit of national power" in Acropolis speech

    Athens -- As the United States wages a costly war with Iran and Europe struggles with the grinding conflict in Ukraine, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stood before the Acropolis on Wednesday and…

    Olivia Gazis

    Read on Aol (opens in a new tab)
  3. 3Fox News

    Rubio to deliver urgent plea to save Western civilization during speech in its birthplace

    The Secretary of State will speak against the backdrop of the Acropolis, urging allies to reject the decline of the West NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    Morgan Phillips, Peter D'Abrosca

    Read on Fox News (opens in a new tab)
  4. 4The Wall Street Journal

    Rubio Turns to Ancient Greece to Make the Case for 'America First'

    In a speech framed by ancient Greek ruins, Secretary of State Marco Rubio lauded the Trump administration's pursuit of national power as a way to revive Western power.View more ATHENS -- In a sunset…

    Vera Bergengruen, Robbie Gramer

    Read on The Wall Street Journal (opens in a new tab)
  5. 5CBS News

    Rubio calls for "unapologetic pursuit of national power," invoking ancient Greece in Acropolis speech

    Olivia Gazis covers intelligence and international security matters for CBS News.

    Olivia Gazis

    Read on CBS News (opens in a new tab)
  6. 6POLITICO

    Rubio warns Europe faces 'inflection point'

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Europe to "wake up from its long slumber" in an address in Athens on Wednesday, leaning hard into the combative stance that President Donald Trump has taken with…

    Daniella Cheslow

    Read on POLITICO (opens in a new tab)
  7. 7Bloomberg Business

    Rubio Says US 'Unapologetic' About Power in Warning to Europe

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio used a dramatic backdrop in Greece to remind the world of the Trump administration's focus on the "unapologetic" pursuit of power, and issued another warning to Europe…

    Eric Martin, Ellen Milligan

    Read on Bloomberg Business (opens in a new tab)
  8. 8HuffPost

    Rubio Hails 'Unapologetic Pursuit Of National Power' In Nationalist Speech At Acropolis

    Rubio Hails 'Unapologetic Pursuit Of National Power' In Nationalist Speech At Acropolis Standing against the backdrop of the Acropolis at sunset, Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday praised…

    Read on HuffPost (opens in a new tab)
  9. 9U.S. News & World Report

    Rubio to Link Ancient Greek Values to 'America First' Speech in Athens

    ATHENS, Oct 7 (Reuters) - US Secretary of State ⁠Marco ⁠Rubio was expected on ⁠Wednesday to urge Western nations to embrace the ancient Greek values of "heroism, honor, and duty", tying the ideals to…

    Reuters

    Read on U.S. News & World Report (opens in a new tab)
  10. 10Breitbart

    Rubio: West Must Rediscover Greatness or Face 'Servitude and Decline'

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned from the birthplace of Western civilization Wednesday that the West must rediscover the qualities that made it great or resign itself to "atrophy and servitude…

    Joshua Klein

    Read on Breitbart (opens in a new tab)
  11. 11CNN International

    Analysis: Rubio's big speech in Greece will supercharge speculation on presidential bid

    In the golden light of an Athens evening, with the Acropolis over his shoulder, Marco Rubio hardly looked like a man planning to ride off into a political sunset.

    Stephen Collinson

    Read on CNN International (opens in a new tab)
  12. 12The Hill

    Rubio calls for new era of power between U.S., Europe, with ancient Greece as backdrop

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday called for a new era of U.S. and European power on the global stage in a major speech delivered in Athens with a dramatic background provided by the…

    Laura Kelly

    Read on The Hill (opens in a new tab)