Yesterday, I wrote what I consider to be one of my better columns on Marco Rubio's speech in Greece.
On the one hand, I can't say I was shocked to see Marco speak so eloquently and make such a compelling argument for stepping up and defending Western Civilization; Marco really is one of the smartest, most thoughtful, and most fearless politicians of his generation. That's why I supported him for president in 2016 and have been thrilled with his performance as Secretary of State.
Still, Rubio's recent public performances have been especially inspiring, as if a fire has been lit in his belly. Or, to use a term he used in Greece, his thumos has been set free.
SECRETARY RUBIO: This thumos, as the Ancient Greeks called it - the fire of passion, strength, courage, pride - is the heart of great civilization. Without it, nations lose their will to fight, to strive, to survive. https://t.co/r5hfm550Zw
— Department of State (@StateDept) October 7, 2026
Thumos is most commonly translated as "Spiritedness." Thumos is neither rational nor irrational; it is a motive force that can drive our best and worst impulses. At its best, it can be described as "drive"; at its worst, it can fuel rage and destructiveness. You can see thumos in Achilles, whose heroic deeds and drive to be the best, and to be recognized as such, were made manifest through thumos; Achilles' downfall can be attributed to thumos fanning the rage caused by grief.
.@SecRubio: "It has become fashionable today to believe that enlightened foreign policy means prioritizing the global community over one's own people. Here too, we have much to learn from the men of ancient Greece — because they knew that there was nothing selfish or wrong about loyalty to your nation, nor anything selfish or wrong about fighting to defend its interests above all else."
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 7, 2026
Whatever brought his thumos to the surface lately, it's certainly been on display. His passion for asserting American greatness has been in overdrive, and his willingness to suffer fools gladly is nearing zero. And it's glorious to see.
Of course, as a former political philosophy instructor, I found his speech across from the Acropolis catnip. It echoed so many themes I like to discuss that I can't judge how it lands for the average listener or reader.
On the other hand, Rubio's interactions with Pravda are easy for everyone to understand. And they, too, are glorious.
🚨 JUST IN: Sec. Marco Rubio is getting visibly FED UP with the fake news, he's holding NOTHING back 🔥 "That's NOT the way this process works. Our job is not to respond every time someone decides to give the media something without any advance warning, without having any chance to look at it and see what's in there!" "I know the GAME, OK?" "That's not the way you run an organization, and that's not a serious way to conduct the policy of our country." "It most CERTAINLY is not going to work that way when I'm sitting in another country, alright?!" The man is overseas doing the actual work of diplomacy and the press wants him to jump on command over something leaked to them! He takes no bait. Rubio isn't playing their game. He sees it for EXACTLY what it is This is what a GOAT Secretary of State looks like! 🇺🇸
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) October 8, 2026
Rubio, America's top diplomat, is being diplomatic in a way befitting a great power and a great man. He doesn't go out of his way to be nasty or cruel, as some other politicians do when they want to project strength.
But he takes no s**t, either.
Marco Rubio just gave an absolute masterclass on shutting down fake news. Instead of asking questions on what the administration is actually doing, the media asks about false reports. Rubio: “Who told you we said that?” Reporter: “The Wall Street Journal” Rubio: “Oh, it’s in the newspaper so it’s true? I can show you a lot of articles that are not true.” “Just because you guys report something doesn’t mean it’s true. You know this, right?” This is how you do it.
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) October 7, 2026
Marco Rubio just gave an absolute masterclass on shutting down fake news.
Instead of asking questions on what the administration is actually doing, the media asks about false reports.
Rubio: “Who told you we said that?”
Reporter: “The Wall Street Journal”
Rubio: “Oh, it’s in the newspaper so it’s true? I can show you a lot of articles that are not true.”
“Just because you guys report something doesn’t mean it’s true. You know this, right?”
This is how you do it.
It's refreshing, and a reminder that diplomacy is not necessarily obsequiousness. Diplomacy should be about getting what is justly yours. A diplomat need not — indeed, should not — subordinate the interests he represents to others simply to please them. But so often that is what people mean by "diplomatic" these days.
Churchill was a diplomat, in the sense that he was a bulldog for his cause. His great leadership success when it counted was fueled by thumos, as any great man's would be. Nobody becomes a winner by shrinking and getting pushed around.
Of course, thumos can drive a bully, too, but Rubio is no bully. But to show you how absurd the current liberal mindset is, an author on Plato who should know better compared Rubio to Hitler because of this section of his speech.
I had to screenshot the X post because, as soon as I corrected her clear and conscious mischaracterization of Plato on thumos, she blocked me. Ironically, she, too, was driven by thumos, fueling her rage and irrationality.
It would have been fun to see Rubio bring her down to size. He would have been anything but Hitlerian about it, though. He puts reason in the driver's seat, and is all the more devastating because of it. When somebody goes full Godwin, they open themselves up to appropriate ridicule, especially when they rely on a credential to do so.
Rubio gives a masterclass in pushing back forcefully without being sophomoric. https://t.co/mnF19GVKvn
— David Strom (@DavidStrom) October 8, 2026
I love seeing this side of Marco. When he is fully engaged, he is a joy to watch.
I hope for and look forward to the day when Marco is sitting in the Oval Office. He has Donald Trump's passion combined with the eloquence of a master debater.
Editor's Note: The mainstream media continues to gaslight, spin, and lie about President Trump, his administration, and conservatives.
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