Pete Hegseth’s D-Day Immigration Remarks Spark Backlash
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has come under fire after using a speech marking the 82nd anniversary of the D-Day landings to criticize European immigration policies, drawing comparisons between modern migration and military invasions.
Speaking at the Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, France, Hegseth said that «different European beaches are stormed by different dangerous ideologies,» referring to migrants arriving by sea in countries such as Spain, Italy, Greece and Bulgaria. He questioned whether European governments would act against what he described as an «invasion.»
The remarks quickly triggered criticism from historians, academics and human rights advocates. Historian Simon Schama described the comments as a blend of «historical deafness» and «grotesque stupidity,» while Israeli human rights lawyer Daniel Seidemann called the speech an «obscene desecration» of the memory of soldiers who fought and died during the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied France.
Critics argued that linking immigration to the D-Day landings politicized a solemn commemoration and undermined the historical significance of the operation, which marked the beginning of Western Europe’s liberation during World War II.
The controversy comes amid broader tensions between Washington and European allies over migration, defense spending and security policy, issues that have frequently been raised by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.
