During Saturday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s Velshi, host Ali Velshi suggested that remarks delivered by Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Munich Security Conference contained language that could resonate with political movements on the European right and conservative audiences in the United States.
Velshi made the comments while speaking with Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO), contrasting Rubio’s speech with an earlier address by Vice President JD Vance. According to Velshi, Rubio’s tone appeared more measured and less confrontational than Vance’s, though he argued certain themes in Rubio’s remarks warranted scrutiny.
“There’s a lot of talk about how it was a nicer speech than JD Vance’s speech,” Velshi said, attributing that difference to style. “Marco Rubio is sort of cut from a different cloth. He just doesn’t talk the same way that JD Vance does.”
However, Velshi pointed specifically to Rubio’s references to “protecting our culture” and “shared civilization” as language that could carry political undertones. He argued that such phrasing might appeal to segments of the European right and conservative voters at home.
“There’s some code in there that appeals to some in the European right, including some governments, and certainly appeals to a whole lot of people at home,” Velshi stated. “Protecting your civilization and culture, when coming out of this administration’s mouths, worries me.”
Rubio’s speech in Munich focused broadly on Western alliances, national sovereignty, and cooperation among democratic nations amid global instability. Supporters of the administration have framed the remarks as a call to strengthen cultural and strategic ties between the United States and its allies. Critics, however, argue that rhetoric emphasizing culture and civilization can signal alignment with nationalist political movements.
The exchange on Velshi highlights ongoing debate over how American officials frame foreign policy themes on the global stage, particularly at high-profile gatherings like the Munich Security Conference, which brings together heads of state, diplomats, and defense officials to discuss global security challenges.
