Rubio to lead sizeable U.S. delegation at Munich Security Conference

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead a sizeable American delegation to the Munich Security Conference, conference chair Wolfgang Ischinger announced at a Berlin press conference. The gathering, set for Feb. 13–15, will bring together scores of world leaders and nearly 100 foreign and defense ministers for three days of security talks that organizers say come at a moment of profound uncertainty.

Ischinger described strong U.S. turnout as significant. "That is why it is particularly gratifying that the American side is showing such strong interest in Munich," he said, adding that "At the moment, transatlantic relations are, in my view, in a considerable crisis of trust and credibility." He said more than 50 members of the U.S. Congress were expected as part of the delegation and described the overall U.S. presence as "sizeable."

Organizers expect the congressional contingent to be politically mixed. Ischinger said around half of the U.S. delegation will be Democrats, naming California Governor Gavin Newsom, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez among those due to attend. The precise final headcount for the U.S. delegation has not been released, but estimates published by conference sources range from "around 50" to "more than 50" congressional attendees.

The conference program will be dominated by questions about Europe’s strategic autonomy and the health of the transatlantic partnership. Ischinger framed one of the main themes as "Europe's ability in the future to assert itself more strongly through its own capabilities and to speak with one voice." The Munich Security Report 2026, published by the conference, warns of "a moment of profound uncertainty" and asserts that "The most powerful of those who take the axe to existing rules and institutions is US President Donald Trump," language that reflects organizers' concern about mounting challenges to post-1945 global governance.

Last year's Munich meeting was marked by controversy after a U.S. vice presidential intervention that sharply criticised European free-speech and immigration policies and included a meeting with Alternative for Germany leader Alice Weidel. Vice President JD Vance, whose remarks unsettled European allies in 2025, is not expected to attend this year. Asked whether Rubio might echo last year's rhetoric, Ischinger said, "I am assuming... that we can expect the US Secretary of State to talk about US foreign policy and not about issues that do not directly fall under his purview."

Rubio is expected to deliver a speech on Saturday, organizers say, a platform likely to be watched for signals about U.S. policy priorities and the tone of engagement with Europe. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will open the conference, and organizers say European representation will be strong, with roughly 15 EU prime ministers or heads of state among the attendees and overall estimates of more than 60 to about 65 world leaders present.

A photograph accompanying press coverage shows Rubio at a Feb. 6 meeting in Milan with Vice President JD Vance and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, underscoring the continuity of high-level U.S. diplomatic activity ahead of Munich. As allies and adversaries watch closely, delegates will test whether the conference can stabilize frayed ties or amplify the divisions that have helped defined recent years.