US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks, with the Parthenon temple atop the Acropolis in the background, in Athens, Greece, October 7, 2026 (Mark Schiefelbein/AFP/Getty)
EA on Dublin NewsTalk: The US Midterm Elections and Trumpist Candidate Steve Hilton
I joined Monocle Radio’s Emma Nelson on Thursday to evaluate US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s high-profile speech in Greece, with respect both to US foreign policy and to the 2028 Presidential election.
The other guest is journalist Melina Havoutis.
Listen from 2:53:
I analyze Rubio staking his claim to Trumpist foreign policy in a speech with proclamations, ideology, and contradictions. I look at his invocation of “Western civilization” and “Christian nationalism”. I consider how he continued the trashing of Europe, a feature of the Administration’s National Security Strategy, with a warning of “civilizational erasure”. I remark on his exaltation of American dominance and an “empire”.
I also note how, with the Acropolis as a backdrop on a sunny day, Rubio was probably setting out his stall for the Presidency in 2028. I look at what that means both for foreign policy — with Marco having to stand down as Secretary of State to campaign — and for an Administration where Vice President J.D. Vance wants to be Trump’s heir apparent.
