Dear friends and supporters of DES,

DES was well and competently represented by our member Frank-Christian Hansel at the recent meeting of the Italian Machiavelli Foundation in Rome, which was chaired by its President Daniele Scalea. Intensive discussions enabled us to deepen our contacts with both the host foundation and the representative of the Heritage Foundation in attendance.  

Following the conference, I received an analysis by President Scalea, which contains a remarkably knowledgeable and thoughtful interpretation of the speech by US Secretary of State Rubio, but also sheds light on the undesirable developments and dangers that are a burden on both the USA and Europe.

In my opinion, this article is so important that you should know it. Attached you will find it translated in full length.

With warm regards
Erika Steinbach


„Alliance of civilisation“: what the USA is proposing to Europe

Daniele Scalea

On 14 February 2026, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio gave a speech at the Munich Security Conference that was intended to encourage Europe to seriously reflect on its future and identity. It was not another geopolitical analysis, but a call to face an uncomfortable truth: The West has embarked on a path that has weakened it and now risks losing not only its global influence, but also the ability to preserve its own civilisation.

Rubio did not address Europe as an ordinary ally - he spoke to it as an older brother in need, bound to the United States by deep historical, cultural and spiritual ties that no short-term dispute can tear apart. With Rubio's speech, the new National Security Strategy and contributions such as Samuel Samson's, the Trump administration is not offering Europe a rupture, but a renewed and deepened alliance: a „civilisational“ one. No longer based solely on economic or military interests, but on a shared determination to defend and revitalise Western heritage - freedom, national sovereignty, faith, family and pride.

What Rubio said

In his speech, Marco Rubio addressed Europe as America's historic partner in the defence of Western civilisation - as a friend, indeed as a close relative that the US neither wants to nor can abandon. Because these ties are historical, cultural and even spiritual.

The USA and Europe are facing a historic task together. After victory in the Cold War, a dangerous illusion spread: the „end of history“. By ignoring human nature and the lessons of the past, we fell for the unbridled dogma of free trade, that led to offshoring, closed factories, millions of lost jobs and dependence on supply chains controlled by rivals or adversaries. We surrendered sovereignty to international organisations, pursued a counterproductive energy policy and allowed uncontrolled mass immigration that threatens social cohesion, cultural continuity and the future of Western nations. These mistakes were made together, and now they must be rectified together. This is the historic task that unites America and Europe.

The Foreign Minister emphasised that national security does not depend solely on the level of military spending, however important this may be. Armed forces do not fight for abstract legal concepts - they defend a people, a nation, a way of life and a great civilisation that is worth being proud of. And our civilisation has given the world freedom, the rule of law, universities and the scientific revolution.
The Trump administration is proposing a renewed alliance that rebuilds industry, regains sovereignty over supply chains, secures national borders as a central act of sovereignty and invests together in new areas such as space and technology. The decline of the West is not inevitable: it is a choice. Just as we chose resistance and reconstruction after 1945, we can choose rebirth today. The United States does not want weak allies who feel sorry for themselves or are resigned to decline; it wants strong partners who are proud of their heritage and determined to defend it. America remains Europe's daughter and wants to shape together a new century of prosperity and vitality for Western civilisation. Not separation, but a rebirth of the transatlantic alliance on new foundations.

Is the West in decline?

Rubio's speech is based on the central assumption that the West, and Europe in particular, is in a phase of historical decline. Is this assumption correct? Numerous data indicate that the West is going through a phase of relative historical decline. The clearest and most fundamental sign is demographic. In 1900, 30 % of the world's population lived in Europe or North America; today this proportion has fallen to less than 14 % - despite unprecedented immigration from the rest of the world to both continents. This relative decline reflects not only the faster growth in Asia and Africa, but also the inability of the West to maintain sufficient demographic renewal.

In Europe and the United States, fertility rates have been well below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman for decades. In the European Union, the average has fallen to below 1.4, with countries such as Italy, Spain and Malta having some of the lowest rates in the world. In the US, the figure fell to around 1.6 by 2024, reaching a historic low. This is not just a statistic: Even When migration flows are taken into account, the native population is shrinking rapidly. Migration compensates for the numerical decline, but not the qualitative one: it brings about an epochal change in the ethnic composition of our societies.

In the US, the non-Hispanic white population, once the historical majority, now represents less than 60 %, and projections by the US Census Bureau suggest that their share will fall below 50 % by 2045. The situation is similar in Western Europe, where forecasts suggest that indigenous ethnic groups will lose their absolute majority everywhere by the end of the century. This profound ethnic and cultural change - without orderly, shared assimilation (impossible on this scale) - will weaken the sense of historical continuity, thats has always formed the basis of national cohesion. Ultimately, this could lead to the complete extinction of the Western nations. The West has also lost considerable economic ground. According to IMF data from 2025, China now accounts for 20 % of global GDP (adjusted for purchasing power), overtaking the USA (14.5 %) and the European Union (13.8 %). In nominal terms, the USA is still in the lead, but the gap is narrowing rapidly. The decline in manufacturing is even more serious: China alone generates around 28-30 % of global value added in manufacturing, roughly as much as the USA and the EU combined (CSIS). Thirty years ago, the West dominated this sector; today it is dependent on supply chains that are largely controlled by Beijing, with obvious consequences for economic security. Deindustrialisation has hollowed out entire regions, shrinking the middle class in manufacturing and fuelling a sense of insecurity that has undermined confidence in the system.

Military power is also dwindling in relative terms. While the US continues to lead in defence spending, China has continuously invested in modernisation and sheer numbers: It now has the largest navy in the world (over 370 warships compared to around 290 for the US) and is seeing rapid growth in destroyers, submarines and aircraft carriers. Although the US retains its technological lead and overall tonnage superiority, the gap is narrowing year on year, while Europe - despite recent increases in spending - continues to contribute little to collective defence.

Finally, the decline can also be seen culturally and socially. Religiosity, which has been a pillar of society for centuries (and shapes social cohesion, demographics, artistic creativity, etc.), is in sharp decline: in the USA, the proportion of Christians has fallen from 90 % to 60 % in around three decades (Pew Research). In Europe, the decline is even more pronounced; in many countries, less than 10 % of the population regularly attend a church service (Euronews). At the same time, the willingness to make sacrifices for the national community has dwindled: Recent Gallup polls show that only 41 % of Americans and an average of 32 % of Europeans say they would be willing to fight for their country in war - among the lowest levels in the world. Trust in institutions is at an all-time low: in the US, only 22 % of adults trust the federal government, while in Europe, trust in national parliaments and governments has been steadily declining for decades. These indicators reflect social fragmentation, a weakened sense of belonging and less resilience to collective challenges.

In short, Rubio is right: the West is not necessarily doomed, but it will be if it continues to ignore the warning signs. Only a renewed commitment to preserving and reviving its civilisation can halt this historic phase and give the West back the strength and self-confidence it needs for the future.

An agenda for the resurgence

Europe can reverse its downward trend by decisively re-shoring production and securing supply chains. Reducing dependence on foreign suppliers, re-shoring strategic sectors (from electronics and pharmaceuticals to steel and future technologies) and promoting automation and up-skilling the labour force would create millions of skilled jobs. This would strengthen the middle class - the backbone of any stable society - reduce the insecurity that fuels social discontent and restore the economic autonomy and strategic resilience of European nations.

A second essential step is a return to orderly, selective migration management. In order to preserve national and cultural identity, we must recognise that integration requires time, controlled numbers and clear criteria - and above all that immigration should enrich the national community, but not replace it, as the logic of „replacement migration“ suggests. Policies that promote cultural proximity and rapid integration would reduce social tensions, strengthen cohesion, prevent parallel societies that undermine the common sense of belonging and reduce the risk of „fifth columns“ of hostile external actors.


Finally, Europe urgently needs to tackle its demographic crisis with a determined family policy. Only an increase in the birth rate can ensure generational renewal, prevent the collapse of the pension system and provide the armed forces with the young men needed for the basic deterrent against those who dream of conquering the West. A shortage of men of military age can undo all the progress of military modernisation. However, as Rubio noted, quantity is not enough: moral quality is equally important. We need to rediscover and pass on values such as patriotism, collective responsibility and pride in our civilisation - so that young Europeans are not only numerous, but also ready to defend their way of life with conviction. Only then can Europe become strong, secure and self-confident again.

Europe in the National Security Strategy (NSS)

As the American expert Matthew Kroenig noted, Rubio's Munich speech was criticised by some European think tanks, but was received quite positively by politicians due to its emphasis on close transatlantic relations. In fact, it largely coincides with the National Security Strategy (NSS), which also sparked outrage in parts of the old continent.

The National Security Strategy (NSS) - falsely portrayed by some media as anti-European - actually emphasises that Europe remains of crucial importance to the US, both strategically and culturally. Criticism of European policy is made in Europe's own interests: Washington denounces excessive ideological regulation because it hampers the European economy and criticises pro-immigration policies because they are eroding European civilisation from within. The US wants to help Europe regain its self-confidence and Western identity while promoting democracy, freedom of expression and a return to national spirit. Of course, the Trump administration is not a charitable organisation, and the NSS contains many elements that primarily serve American interests. Ultimately, however, the strategy continues to support European freedom and security - with a realistic approach: the US wants more autonomous and responsible allies.

The alliance of civilisation

To understand the Trump administration's strategic offer, it is advisable to read the National Security Strategy and Rubio's speech in light of the much-discussed article by Samuel Samson, Senior Advisor at the US State Department, entitled „The Need for Civilisational Allies in Europe“.

Samson argues that the bond between the US and Europe is not purely transactional - it is deeply rooted in a shared Western civilisational heritage: culture, faith, law, ethics, sovereignty and other „affinities“ dating back to Greco-Roman antiquity and Christianity. Nevertheless, he refers to Europe's „retreat“ from these central shared values, echoing the words of J. D. Vance from the previous Munich conference: 'The real threat is internal. Digital censorship, mass immigration, restrictions on religious freedom and attacks on democracy are symptoms of Europe's moral crisis.

Samson emphasises these problems not to abandon Europe, but on the contrary, to reach out from Washington to his Western brethren. He describes these tendencies - which remind him of tactics used in the US against Trump - as attacks by a „decadent“ ruling class on authentic Western civilisation. The Trump administration wants to align transatlantic relations with „civilisational“ allies who actually defend these values. The vision is an alliance between the US and Europe based on shared heritage, not globalist conformity - an alliance that can renew itself and become even stronger.

Europe has the floor.

What the United States is offering Europe is not an „amicable separation“, let alone an „external rescue“, but a joint rebirth. Washington is not asking Europe to become more American - it is asking Europe to be itself again: proud of its heritage, jealous of its sovereignty, and determined to leave its children both material prosperity and a deep sense of belonging and mission. The choice is not between dependence on the United States and so-called „European autonomy“; it is between a Europe that rediscovers its roots alongside its historic transatlantic ally and a Europe that continues to dissolve into a borderless, identity-less cosmopolitanism.

Decline is not inevitable. Trump's America is reaching out - not to dominate, but to walk together into a new century of vitality for Western civilisation. Europe must decide whether to grasp this hand - or reject it out of contemptuous subservience to the cosmopolitan, progressive ideology that still characterises so many of its elites.

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