Rubio Stuns Europe: 'Christian Faith Built Western Civilization' — Standing Ovation at Munich

Secretary of State Marco Rubio Declares Christian Faith the Foundation of Western Civilization at Munich Security Conference

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio received a standing ovation on Saturday, February 14, 2026, after delivering a landmark address at the 62nd Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, in which he declared Christianity a central pillar of Western identity.

Rubio told European leaders that the United States and Europe are part of "one civilization, Western civilization," bound together by faith, culture, and shared sacrifice.

"We are bound to one another by the deepest bonds that nations could share, forged by centuries of shared history, Christian faith, culture, heritage, language, ancestry, and the sacrifices our forefathers made together."

The Secretary of State traced America's founding directly to Europe's Christian roots, declaring that the settlers who built the nation arrived carrying their ancestors' faith as "a sacred inheritance, an unbreakable link between the old world and the new."

Rubio devoted a significant portion of his remarks to immigration and national sovereignty. He called open borders an existential threat to Western nations and rejected accusations of xenophobia.

"Controlling who and how many people enter our countries, this is not an expression of xenophobia. It is a fundamental act of national sovereignty. It is an urgent threat to the fabric of our societies and the survival of our civilization itself."

He called on European leaders to reclaim their sovereignty, confront common threats from Russia and China, and build "a confident, self reliant continent." The speech was notably warmer in tone than Vice President JD Vance's address at the same conference the previous year, which had been met with shock rather than applause.

Rubio concluded by pledging that under President Trump, the United States would take on "the task of renewal and restoration, driven by a vision of a future as proud, as sovereign, and as vital as our civilization's past."

Rubio's Munich Speech Champions Christianity as the Bedrock of the Western World

The speech drew widespread attention across global media outlets, with supporters praising Rubio for unapologetically naming Christianity as the force that shaped Western law, democracy, and human rights. Critics from secular organizations pushed back, calling his framing historically selective.

The address came as Europe grapples with ongoing immigration debates, the war in Ukraine, and growing pressure from China. Rubio framed these challenges as shared struggles requiring a united Western response grounded in civilizational confidence rather than apologetic retreat.

The Crusader's Opinion

Finally. A senior American official stood before the most powerful leaders in Europe and said what we all know but so few dare to speak aloud: Western civilization was built on Christian faith. Not on secularism. Not on moral relativism. On the Gospel. Rubio told them the truth, that the men and women who built our nations carried the cross with them as a sacred inheritance. And the crowd stood and applauded. That tells you something. Even in a Europe that has been told for decades to be ashamed of its Christian heritage, the truth still resonates. Now the question is whether our leaders will do more than clap. Will they actually defend the faith and the civilization it built? Or will they keep opening the gates while the foundation crumbles beneath them?

Take Action

• Watch Secretary Rubio's full speech at the Munich Security Conference on the U.S. State Department website and share it with your church community.
• Contact your elected representatives and urge them to support policies that protect national sovereignty and secure borders. Find your representatives at usa.gov/elected-officials.
• Support Christian organizations defending Western values and persecuted believers through The Shepherd's Shield.
• Donate to Open Doors, which supports persecuted Christians in over 70 countries where faith in Christ comes at a cost.
• Share this story on social media using #RubioMunichSpeech #ChristianHeritage #WesternCivilization to amplify the message that Christianity is the foundation of the West.