Hegseth Criticizes Europe Over Migrant 'Invasion' of Its Beaches
The US Defense Secretary used his speech at the 82nd anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy to call on European allies for stronger defense capabilities
The US Defense Secretary used his speech at the 82nd anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy to call on European allies for stronger defense capabilities
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used his speech at the 82nd anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy to sharply criticize European migration policy, comparing the arrival of migrants to an "invasion" of European beaches.
"Unfortunately, today different European beaches are being attacked by different, dangerous ideologies, beaches in Spain, Italy, Greece, and Bulgaria; boats and people are coming," Hegseth stated during his speech at the American Military Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer on Saturday.
Hegseth posed a direct question to European leaders: "When will European capitals do something about this invasion? Or is it already too late? I pray it's not, and I believe it's not." His statements reflect the increasingly sharp rhetoric of the Trump administration toward European allies.
The US Defense Secretary's comments follow Vice President JD Vance's Friday remarks blaming the West's "politics of self-hatred" and "mass migrant invasion" for the death of a British teenager last year, which prompted sharp condemnation from the British government.
Hegseth's statements fit into a broader American foreign policy strategy. Washington warned in its National Security Strategy published in December 2025 that Europe faces potential "civilizational erasure" driven by migration, allegedly weakening national identities and government policies that undermine sovereignty.
President Donald Trump's administration continuously criticizes European countries for failing to control immigration, calling for more radical measures to combat migration across the Mediterranean Sea.
Beyond criticizing migration policy, Hegseth called on European governments to increase their commitment to defense capabilities. "America will lead. We must," he said, adding: "But capable allies must be there with us, shoulder to shoulder, in the breach, when it matters."
The Secretary emphasized that every allied nation must "pull its weight," referring to the D-Day operation when each country contributed to Europe's liberation. "We stand by our allies. And we expect our allies to be capable and ready to stand by us," Hegseth concluded.
The D-Day landings occurred on June 6, 1944, when American and Allied forces launched from the English Channel to begin the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi occupation. Hegseth used the symbolism of that historical moment during the 82nd anniversary commemoration to send a clear message to European allies about the need for more decisive action on contemporary security challenges.
