US secretary of state Marco Rubio has fiercely rejected CBS News’ Margaret Brennan‘s argument after she linked the Holocaust to “too much free speech” during a heated exchange on the news programme “Face the Nation.”
Rubio was defending US vice president JD Vance’s speech at the Munich Security Conference, where Vance took aim at Europe’s growing trend of censorship. Brennan, however, seemed to suggest that free speech itself had been “weaponized” to bring about the Holocaust under Nazi Germany.
The conversation took a sharp turn when Brennan remarked, “Well, he [Vance] was standing in a country where free speech was weaponized to conduct a genocide.”
Rubio was quick to counter, firmly disagreeing with the CBS host and cutting her off mid-question. “Free speech was not used to conduct a genocide. The genocide was conducted by an authoritarian Nazi regime that happened to also be genocidal because they hated Jews and they hated minorities,” Rubio explained.
Rubio stated that, as a tyrannical regime, World War II-era Germany had not a single inch of free speech or resistance. “There was no free speech in Nazi Germany. There was none. There was also no opposition in Nazi Germany.”
Rubio continued by pointing out that the Nazi regime was an authoritarian dictatorship where only one party held power, making Brennan’s claim an inaccurate and opposite portrayal of history.
During the exchange, Brennan pushed back, referencing Vance’s meeting with a leader from a far-right political party with ties to extremist groups. She questioned, “What did all of this accomplish, other than irritating our allies?”
Rubio responded firmly, asserting that democracies should embrace free speech. “Why would our allies or anybody be irritated by free speech and by someone giving their opinion? We are, after all, democracies,” he said. “The Munich Security Conference is largely a conference of democracies in which one of the things that we cherish and value is the ability to speak freely and provide your opinions.”
The interview also covered key topics, including efforts to secure the release of hostages, focusing on the negotiations. Rubio discussed the lack of diplomatic outreach from Iran on a nuclear deal and Israel’s stance on a preemptive strike. The conversation also touched on the potential for peace talks in Ukraine, highlighting President Trump’s involvement and Saudi Arabia’s role in facilitating dialogue with Russia.
The debate ended abruptly when Brennan, seemingly unsatisfied with Rubio’s response, cut the segment short.
Following the interview, Rubio took to social media to clarify his stance. In an X post, he wrote: “Under President Trump, American leadership is back. That includes free speech, bold diplomacy that puts our nation first, and peace through strength.” He added, “Made that clear during my interview with ‘Face the Nation'”.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk also praised Rubio’s handling of the situation, sharing the clip of the interview and posting, “Well said Sec. Rubio.”
In his speech at the Munich Security Conference, Vance also joked that if the US could “survive” climate activist Greta Thunberg, Europe could also handle Musk’s criticisms.