# It Is Easy to Destroy Great Things and Far More Difficult to Make Them by Marco Rubio > "It is easy to destroy great things; it is far more difficult to make them. The enemies of civilization are only capable of the former. ... But we have built great things together. We have done it time and again. We know what we must do, and now we must do it." > **— Marco Rubio**, *Ministerial on the Resurgence of Political Terrorism, July 16, 2026* ## Sources and Context - **Source dossier:** [[research/Ministerial on the Resurgence of Political Terrorism|Ministerial on the Resurgence of Political Terrorism]]. - **Direct publication or recording:** [direct transcript](https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesman/2026/07/remarks-at-the-opening-of-the-ministerial-on-the-resurgence-of-political-terrorism/). - **Editorial form:** The readable quotation retains visible brackets and/or an ellipsis for source-supported clarification or omission. The candidate map below records the exact treatment. - **Context and treatment:** Rubio contrasts destruction with creation, identifies civilization's builders as the responsible collective, and closes with agency rather than diagnosis. The ellipsis removes two repetitive sentences without altering the contrast; [direct transcript](https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesman/2026/07/remarks-at-the-opening-of-the-ministerial-on-the-resurgence-of-political-terrorism/), Rubio opening remarks. ## Related Articles and Collections - **Collection:** [[collections/Simple Reminders|Simple Reminders]] - **Collection:** [[collections/Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and the Intelligence Environment|Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and the Intelligence Environment]] - **Collection:** [[collections/American|American Culture Collection]] - **Article:** [[articles/The Coming Market for Civilian Spycraft|The Coming Market for Civilian Spycraft]] - **Article:** [[articles/Reframing Antisemitism as a National Security Threat|Reframing Antisemitism as a National Security Threat]] ## Related Topics - [[wiki/Marco Rubio|Marco Rubio]] - [[wiki/Civilization|Civilization]] - [[wiki/Ministerial on the Resurgence of Political Terrorism|Ministerial on the Resurgence of Political Terrorism]] ## Share on Social Media ``` "It is easy to destroy great things; it is far more difficult to make them. The enemies of civilization are only capable of the former. ... But we have built great things together. We have done it time and again. We know what we must do, and now we must do it." — Marco Rubio, Ministerial on the Resurgence of Political Terrorism, July 16, 2026 https://bryantmcgill.com/simple-reminders-marco-rubio-it-is-easy-to-destroy-great-things-and-far-more-difficult-to-make-them ```