US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called out the United Nations’ inability to solve world conflicts, including liberating the former Gaza hostages from Hamas captivity and striking Iran’s nuclear program, and asked for the organization to be reformed on Saturday.
Rubio spoke at the 2026 Munich Security Conference, noting that “it was US leadership who freed captives from barbarians [in Gaza], and brought about a fragile truce.”
He also cited the 12-day war with Iran last June, saying that the UN was “powerless to constrain the nuclear program of radical Shia clerics of Tehran.”
“That required 14 bombs dropped with precision by American B-2 bombers,” Rubio explained. He also pointed out the US government’s role in both the Ukraine-Russia war negotiations and the capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro.
“We cannot allow those who blatantly threaten our citizens, and endanger our global stability, to shield themselves behind abstractions of international law which they themselves routinely violate,” he added.
Iran can’t be allowed to have nuclear weapons
In dialogue with Bloomberg, Rubio also talked about the risk of Iran getting nuclear weapons. “That poses a threat not just to the United States, but also to Europe, to world security, and to the region. There’s no doubt about it,” he said.
He also explained that the US has sufficient firepower in the region to ensure that the regime doesn’t “make a mistake and come after us, and trigger something larger.”
He said that, even if US President Donald Trump said his preference was to reach a deal with Iran, it would be very hard to do so.
“And that’s what we’re trying to do right now, and Steve Witkoff and Jared [Kushner] have some meetings lined up fairly soon,” he added.
Rubio says United States and Europe ‘belong together’
Rubio also gave a robust message of unity with Europe, saying Washington’s destiny was intertwined with Europe and that it had no intention of abandoning the Transatlantic alliance.
The keynote speech was a stark change from 2025, when Vice President JD Vance, speaking from the same stage, launched an attack on European leaders, accusing them of censoring free speech and failing to control immigration.
“In a time of headlines heralding the end of the Transatlantic era, let it be known and clear to all that this is neither our goal nor our wish, because for us Americans, our home may be in the Western Hemisphere, but we will always be a child of Europe,” Rubio said.
