Hegseth tied migration warning to D-Day speech in Normandy
What's new: The remarks sharpened Trump administration pressure on Europe over borders, defense and far-right speech.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used a D-Day commemoration in Normandy on June 6 to warn that Europe faces an “invasion” of dangerous ideologies arriving by sea, drawing a parallel between modern migration and the beaches where Allied troops landed in 1944. Speaking at the Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer during the 82nd anniversary events, Hegseth pointed to Spain, Italy, Greece and Bulgaria. He did not explicitly say immigration, but the comments matched broader criticism from President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance that European governments have failed on borders, defense and restrictions on nationalist voices.