Edith Hejberg
“They see us as a wrecking ball,” Newsom said. “They see us as unreliable, and a lot of them think it’s irrevocable. They don’t think we’ll ever come back to our original form.
Several Democrats who traveled to the Munich Security Conference are widely seen as potential contenders for the White House in 2028. The gathering offered them a rare chance to demonstrate foreign policy credentials on the global stage.
Yet the mood was far from triumphant. Even if one of them eventually becomes president, the role awaiting them may be very different from the one American leaders have held since World War II.
For decades, every US president could confidently claim to be the “leader of the free world.” Today, that title looks far less certain.
Europe questions whether the old alliance can survive
California Gov. Gavin Newsom tried to reassure allies, arguing that American institutions are more durable than any single president.
But in conversations with European leaders, he heard a sobering message. Many believe the damage done to the transatlantic alliance may be permanent.
“They see us as a wrecking ball,” Newsom said. “They see us as unreliable, and a lot of them think it’s irrevocable. They don’t think we’ll ever come back to our original form.”
A conference marked by awkward moments
Instead of projecting unity, the American delegation experienced several uncomfortable moments during the conference.
Some Democratic senators hoping to strengthen their foreign policy profiles found themselves scrambling to smooth over remarks from Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham. His comments suggested Donald Trump still had ambitions to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark.
The exchange created an uneasy meeting with the Danish prime minister and underscored the tension surrounding US policy.
A missing congressional delegation
The conference also lacked the usual presence of American lawmakers.
Republican Speaker Mike Johnson canceled the official congressional delegation, forcing several members of the House to abandon their plans to attend.
That absence was noticeable at an event where US political figures have traditionally played a central role in shaping international debate.
Rubio delivers a calmer message, with a stark warning
Secretary of State Marco Rubio received a brief standing ovation from European thinkers after delivering a speech that struck a far more conciliatory tone than the one Vice President JD Vance gave at the same conference last year.
Yet Rubio also delivered a striking message before arriving in Munich.
“The old world is gone,” he told reporters.
After his speech, he continued his trip to Slovakia and Hungary, both led by strongmen who have shown sympathy toward Trump.
Germany’s chancellor describes a new reality
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz opened the conference with remarks that captured the shift many Europeans now feel.
“A divide has opened up between Europe and the United States,” Merz said. “The United States’ claim to leadership has been challenged, and possibly lost.”
His comments reflected a growing belief that the global order built after World War II may be entering a new phase.
Europe begins preparing for life without US certainty
The changes are not just rhetorical. Merz revealed that Germany has held “confidential talks” with France about European nuclear deterrence.
That discussion signals a profound shift in thinking. For decades, Europe relied heavily on the US nuclear umbrella for security.
Now, leaders are exploring alternatives as confidence in Washington’s commitments weakens.
Repairing trust may take generations
Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly, who attended the conference, said the damage to the relationship could take decades to repair.
“What I’m hearing now is, even if we are able to repair these relationships, it’s going to take generations before they feel comfortable,” he said.
Kelly himself arrived in Munich shortly after learning the Trump administration had attempted to indict him over a video urging troops not to obey illegal orders.
Memories of John McCain’s era still linger
The conference once symbolized American leadership, particularly during the years when the late Sen. John McCain played a prominent role.
McCain helped turn the Munich gathering into a key event for politicians hoping to shape global policy.
A quote from his 2017 speech still hangs on the wall of the historic Bayerischer Hof hotel: “I refuse to accept the demise of our world order.”
A different mood in Munich today
This year, the contrast with McCain’s era was clear.
There was still a dinner held in his honor, attended by his son Jimmy McCain. Democratic Sen. Chris Coons even revived one of McCain’s traditions, closing the basement Trader Vic’s bar with shots of peach schnapps.
But the energy of earlier years was missing. Few members of Congress attended the German chancellor’s reception, and no figure with McCain’s stature dominated the stage.
A crowded Democratic field tests its message
Several Democrats in Munich are widely seen as possible candidates in the next presidential race.
They include Newsom, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Mark Kelly, former Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and Sens. Chris Murphy, Elissa Slotkin and Ruben Gallego.
Each hopes to present a vision of American leadership after Trump, though none has yet defined what that leadership would look like.
Ocasio-Cortez faces a difficult global debut
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez arrived in Munich hoping to introduce her foreign policy vision to an international audience.
Political momentum at home, skepticism abroad
Back in the United States, Democrats see signs that political momentum may be shifting.
Trump’s approval ratings have declined, and the party believes it has a strong chance to regain control of the House in upcoming midterm elections.
Yet even if that happens, Europe appears to have already drawn a lasting conclusion. As Merz warned in Munich:
“The international order based on rights and rules is in the process of being destroyed. This order, imperfect even its best times, no longer exists in this form.”
