Opinion | The Pagan Nationalism of Marco Rubio’s Athens Speech
A facts-only brief, written by a local AI model from this article in The Wall Street Journal, October 13, 2026. It may contain mistakes, and it is not the article: the full story is at wsj.com.
An opinion essay argues that Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s recent speech in Athens promotes a form of “pagan nationalism” that prioritizes raw power and competition over religious humility and international law. The author contends that Rubio’s celebration of ancient Greek virtues, specifically the concept of thumos or passionate drive, ignores the historical dangers of unchecked ambition, such as the Athenian attack on Melos and the failed Sicilian expedition. The writer asserts that this ideological shift within the Republican Party moves away from Christian universalism toward a conservative stance that embraces national self-assertion without moral constraints. The essay suggests that the West is sustained by the tension between Athenian power and Jerusalemian ethics, not by power alone.
Background
- Rubio delivered the speech in Athens last week, stating that Europe has abandoned its historical drive for excellence in favor of comfort and safety.
- The author cites Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s recent comments dismissing Canada’s trade resistance as evidence of this power-centric approach.
- Nate Hochman, currently Rubio’s chief speechwriter, published an article in 2022 describing the rise of a less religious conservatism that favors national self-assertion over universalism.
- The essay references Thucydides’ account of the Peloponnesian War to illustrate how hubris leads to overestimation of power and eventual defeat.
Read the full article at wsj.com
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