U.S. Defense Secretary Links Migration to Invasion at D-Day Ceremony
U. S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegsett delivered a speech at the 82nd-anniversary D-Day ceremony in Normandy, warning that Europe faces an “invasion” of migrants and broader ideological threats. AP News reported that he said the freedom secured by Allied forces is now at risk from modern challenges. The New York Times noted that his remarks echoed language from the U. S.
national security strategy and urged European capitals to act. He framed migration as a pressing security issue for the continent. The Guardian reported that historians and human-rights advocates condemned the comparison as inappropriate. Salon added that critics highlighted the parallel drawn between World War II and current immigration debates. The Bulwark observed that the speech omitted any reference to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, intensifying the criticism.
