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Rubio seeks to calm European allies at security summit
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio took center stage at the Munich Security Summit on Saturday, addressing concerns among European leaders about the direction of American foreign policy under President Donald Trump. While his speech did not entirely ease tensions, it was seen as an effort to reinforce Washington's commitment to transatlantic ties despite recent strains.
Mixed messages from US delegation
Rubio's remarks followed a year of friction, including sharp criticism from Vice President JD Vance at the same summit in 2025. However, other American officials at the event struck a more conciliatory tone. California Governor Gavin Newsom, a potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidate, told attendees, "Donald Trump is temporary. He'll be gone in three years."
Dozens of US lawmakers, including Democrats and Republicans, attended the summit, many emphasizing continuity in US-European relations. Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire stated, "The reason we're here is to provide reassurance that we understand how important our European allies are." Republican Senator Thom Tillis echoed her sentiment, urging allies not to be distracted by "the rhetoric of American politics."
Trump's policies fuel European unease
Trump's "America First" approach has unsettled traditional alliances. His administration has imposed steep tariffs on trading partners, sought to reshape global institutions, and prioritized Western Hemisphere interests-exemplified by his repeated calls to purchase Greenland. Domestically, Trump has faced criticism for proposing executive orders to nationalize election oversight and enforce strict voter ID requirements.
Virginia Senator Mark Warner warned in Munich that such measures threaten the integrity of the upcoming November midterm elections. "I never thought I would say that in 2026 America," he remarked. Trump has defended the policies as necessary to combat voter fraud, citing public support for the SAVE Act, which would mandate national voter identification.
Democrats offer counterpoint to Trump's vision
Several Democratic lawmakers used the summit to contrast their agenda with Trump's. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez linked rising wealth inequality to the global surge of authoritarianism, arguing that democracies must deliver economic gains for working-class citizens or risk losing ground to autocratic regimes. "It is of the utmost urgency that we get our economic houses in order," she said.
Senators Mark Kelly and Elissa Slotkin, recently targeted by a failed Department of Justice indictment over a video urging soldiers to disregard "illegal" orders, described the current political climate as a profound challenge. "We'll get through it," Slotkin asserted.
Europe seeks stability amid US political turbulence
Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego acknowledged European anxiety but framed the summit as a step toward reassurance. "Right now, Europe just wants us to be better," he said. "This has been a very good conference to reassure nerves."
"Sometimes you have to remind them that this is not all Trump... We're still here."
Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego
