US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s address in Athens, delivered in the shadow of the Acropolis, has drawn major international attention, with the Wall Street Journal calling it a potential “speech of the year” as Rubio laid out his vision for the future of the West.
Speaking in Greece for the first time, Rubio used the setting of the Acropolis and the legacy of ancient Athens to connect the foundations of American democracy with classical Greece.
His speech ranged from Pericles, Thucydides and Homer to the Persian Wars and Plutarch, while also offering a forceful defence of national sovereignty, military strength and Western power.
Rubio pointed directly to the influence of ancient Greece on the United States, telling his audience that American history is “covered with the fingerprints of antiquity” and that Greece is “literally etched into the architecture of our government.”
He also highlighted Philadelphia, where the US Constitution was written, noting that the city’s name itself is Greek.
‘Speech of the year’
Rubio’s appearance against the backdrop of the Acropolis quickly became a focus of international media coverage.
The Wall Street Journal described his Athens address as a compelling response to what it sees as a crisis of confidence across the Western world, calling it the “speech of the year.”
The newspaper highlighted Rubio’s argument that the West can regain confidence by reconnecting with its historical traditions, ambitions and principles.
The New York Times focused on Rubio’s call for Europe to “awaken” and argued that the Secretary of State used his Athens platform to promote a renewed emphasis on Western power and ambition.
CNN, meanwhile, interpreted the speech through the lens of American politics, describing Rubio’s appearance against the Acropolis as a potential indication of how he could position himself beyond the current Trump era.
The speech is likely to fuel further speculation about Rubio’s political future and possible ambitions ahead of the 2028 US presidential election.
The Guardian similarly portrayed the address as an attempt to connect Donald Trump’s “America First” approach with the history and political traditions of ancient Greece.
From Plutarch to America’s founders
Rubio placed particular emphasis on the influence of ancient Greek and Roman thought on the founders of the United States.
He cited Plutarch, noting that the Greek biographer was the author most frequently referenced in the Federalist Papers.
According to Rubio, America’s founders were deeply aware of their place within history and drew heavily on the political and philosophical lessons of classical antiquity.
For Rubio, that connection remains relevant to the challenges facing the West today.
A warning to the West
The Secretary of State also delivered a broad criticism of globalisation and international institutions, arguing that Western nations had gradually surrendered elements of their sovereignty while weakening their military capabilities and industrial bases.
He rejected the idea that nationalism should be treated as a negative force and called for a renewed emphasis on national interests.
Rubio argued that international institutions had not eliminated national competition, war or the pursuit of power.
Instead, he said nations continue to compete over territory, technology, resources, markets, energy and influence.
He warned that the world has entered a new era of great power competition, marked by war, terrorism, aggression and emerging threats.
Greece as the backdrop
The location of the speech was central to Rubio’s message.
With the Acropolis and Parthenon providing the backdrop, the US Secretary of State repeatedly returned to the influence of ancient Greece on Western political thought and the development of American institutions.
He argued that ancient Athens represented many of the characteristics he believes remain essential to Western civilisation, including individuality, ambition, exploration, innovation, risk and the pursuit of achievement.
Rubio ultimately presented Athens not simply as the setting for his speech, but as a historical reference point for his argument about where the West came from and where it should go next.
His message from Greece was clear: the West is at a turning point, and its future, in Rubio’s view, will depend on whether Western nations rediscover confidence in their own history, sovereignty and power.
