Rubio sounds campaign-ready as he rails against open borders, globalism in speech from ancient Greek ruins

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The Greeks of antiquity continue to hold a mystical grip on our memory. In 480 BC, a handful of Athenians refuse to flee and barricade themselves in the Acropolis. They fight an extraordinary last stand against Xerxes' invading army.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio took aim at open borders and globalism Wednesday in a sweeping speech in Athens, Greece that at times sounded more like a campaign stump speech than a foreign policy address.

"We opened our borders and outsourced our industry and allowed our militaries to wither and to decay," Rubio said against the backdrop of the sun setting on the ancient citadel in Athens.

"The word nationalism became a dirty word. And so we tore down our monuments, we condemned our own history, and in too many places we taught our children to be ashamed of the countries they would inherit," he continued. "And with every passing year, we seemed to outsource more of our sovereignty, transferring our decisions to global bureaucracies far beyond the reach of our control."

Rubio and Vice President JD Vance have both been widely discussed as potential successors to Trump in 2028, with the president himself repeatedly fueling speculation over which of the two could inherit his political mantle.

Rubio argued the consequences were now playing out in an increasingly dangerous world.