Can a future U.S. president restore alliances?

European leaders, national security policymakers, and reporters convened at a historic hotel in Munich, Germany, over the weekend for the annual national security pilgrimage known as the Munich Security Conference.

The summit – normally a wonkish affair – made more headlines than usual last year. That’s when newly inaugurated Vice President J.D. Vance delivered a brow-beating speech to his European counterparts. But in 2026, the message from American officials at least sounded more pleasant.

What should we make of this year’s conference?

Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.

To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy