Rubio urges Western resolve and announces U.S.-Greece agreement

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio used a speech in Athens on Wednesday to urge Western nations to draw on their historical traditions and strengthen national power, while announcing a U.S.-Greece agreement to share information on drug trafficking and terrorism. Speaking beneath the Acropolis, Rubio said the United States under President Donald Trump had chosen to pursue national power through control of critical supply chains, reindustrialization, rebuilding its defenses and competing for leadership in future technologies and industries. He described the West as facing a pivotal moment and called for stronger institutions and alliances to address shared threats. Rubio framed ancient Greece as a foundation of Western political and intellectual traditions, arguing that its influence shaped American institutions and ideas. He urged European countries to renew their confidence in those traditions and pointed to increased defense spending, partnerships and production as signs of possible change. The address followed earlier remarks in which he had called on Europe to defend what he described as Christian civilization.