The U.N. failed to stop the war in Gaza The U.N. failed to end the war in Ukraine The U.N. failed to contain Iran’s nuclear ambitions The U.N. failed to confront narcoterrorist regimes like Venezuela
Instead, Rubio emphasized, it was American leadership — not international resolutions — that produced results.
Rubio also blasted the ideological foundations of post-Cold War globalism, warning that the West had embraced a dangerous delusion following the fall of the Soviet Union — believing nationhood would be replaced by trade agreements and transnational governance.
“Armies do not fight for abstractions,” Rubio said. “Armies fight for a people. Armies fight for a nation. Armies fight for a way of life.”
Armies do not fight for abstractions. Armies fight for a people.
Armies fight for a nation.
Armies fight for a way of life and that is what we are defending. pic.twitter.com/U8vasZVylD
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) February 14, 2026
He pointed directly to decades of:
Deindustrialization Mass migration Energy self-sabotage Outsourcing of sovereignty to international institutions
Invoking the leadership of Donald Trump, Rubio told allies that the United States is embarking on a path of national renewal — one focused on:
Reindustrialization Border control Supply chain independence Defense readiness Western technological dominance
“Controlling who and how many people enter our countries… is not hate. It is a fundamental act of national sovereignty.”