Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth drew attention during a D-Day anniversary ceremony in France after comparing modern migration into Europe to an “invasion” and urging European governments to take stronger action on border security.
Hegseth Targets Europe’s Migration Policies
On Saturday, speaking 82 years after Allied forces landed on the beaches of Normandy in 1944, Hegseth warned that Europe now faces “different dangerous ideologies” arriving by sea.
“Sadly, today, different European beaches are stormed by different, dangerous ideologies. which is in Spain, in Italy, in Greece and Bulgaria, boats and men arrive. When will European capitals do something about that invasion?” he said.
He added that some European nations had grown too “comfortable” since World War II and risk forgetting that “freedom is not free.”
“The men who fought and died here restored freedom to Europe,” Hegseth said.
He added, “That freedom must be maintained by this generation of leaders and war fighters or what they fought for was merely temporary.”
The remarks echoed broader criticism of European migration policies from the Trump administration, which has made stricter immigration enforcement a central part of its agenda.
EU Rejects US ‘Civilizational Erasure’ Warning
Earlier, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas rejected claims that Europe faces “civilizational erasure,” calling the U.S. national security strategy’s warnings exaggerated and dismissing criticism of Europe’s immigration and political climate.
She said Europe remained stable and attractive and rejected what she called “European-bashing” at the Munich Security Conference.
Her remarks came as U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, pushed for closer transatlantic cooperation tied to President Donald Trump’s priorities on border security and sovereignty, while also criticizing European policy choices.
Rubio said the U.S. would prefer to work with Europe but would act independently if needed.
The dispute reflects growing transatlantic tension, as earlier U.S. warnings of civilisation erasure and criticism from European leaders over Washington’s strategy have deepened debate over security, migration and sovereignty.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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