US Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth on Saturday marked the 82nd anniversary of the World War II D-Day landings in France with a speech that bemoaned the "invasion" of "boats and men" on Europe's beaches. In his address at a US military cemetery in Normandy, Hegseth also called on allies to contribute more to their defence.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday urged Europe to counter what he termed an "invasion" of its coastline by migration as he marked the 82nd anniversary of the World War II D-Day landings in France.
"The men buried here fought in a war-fighting alliance where every partner ... brought its full measure of industry, courage and sacrifice," he said in front of the 9,387 white crosses of American soldiers killed in action during the Battle of Normandy.
Some of Hegseth's comments echoed assertions from the administration of US President Donald Trump that mass migration represents a danger to European "civilisation".
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"Sadly, today different European beaches are stormed by different dangerous ideologies," Hegseth said in his speech at the cemetery.
On "beaches in Spain and Italy and Greece and Bulgaria, boats and men arrive," he said.
"When will European capitals do something about that invasion? Or is it too late?" he asked.
Hegseth also called on European countries to do more to contribute to their own defence in his speech at the American military cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer.
However, he conspicuously skipped the main international ceremony in Langrune-sur-Mer to mark the anniversary of the Allied landings, which helped herald an end to World War II.
A residents' association in Langrune-sur-Mer issued a statement ahead of Hegseth's planned visit, saying his "warlike views" were unwelcome in their village and questioning his commitment to "democratic values".
Read moreResidents of French village say US defence chief Hegseth is not welcome for D-Day visit
"May we learn from this past," Hegseth told the crowd, in reference to the pivotal involvement of US troops in the landings.
"Real allies doing real things, taking real losses for a shared cause worth fighting and dying for."
Peace 'through strength'
The Trump administration has also accused Europe of not pulling its weight to ensure the continent's security, and has even floated pulling out of the NATO alliance.
Hegseth said that while America "will lead", its "capable allies must be right there with us, shoulder-to-shoulder in the breach when it matters".
"Peace is secured only through strength," Hegseth told the audience, including French armed forces Minister Catherine Vautrin, without referring explicitly to the US-Israeli war against Iran.
"And it's strength on both sides of the Atlantic, fortified by readiness, shared military capabilities and an unwavering political will," he added.
'Challenge of our generation'
At the international ceremony on Saturday afternoon, which Hegseth did not attend, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu paid tribute to the "3,000 men, barely 20 years old" who died on D-Day, offering "the breath of their youth and the sacrifice of their lives".
Speaking to guests including veterans from the United States and also British Defence Minister John Healey, he hailed the "resilience" of the UK during the war, and the American people as "this great people, friends of liberty".
In apparent allusion to American calls on Europe to look after its own defence, Lecornu said the continent had to meet "the challenge of our generation" to build "our autonomy, our capacity to defend ourselves" to face threats that are "getting closer, intensifying and multiplying".
The Normandy landings on June 6, 1944, were the largest amphibious operation in history.
An armada of 6,939 ships and 132,700 British, Canadian, American, Belgian, Norwegian and Polish troops stormed 80 kilometres (50 miles) of beaches in northern France.
The operation contributed decisively to the Allied victory over Nazi Germany, which was also being squeezed by USSR forces to the east.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
