US Defence 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. Hegseth also called on European countries to do more to contribute to their own defence, in a speech at the American military cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer in Normandy. "Sadly, today different European beaches are stormed by different dangerous ideologies," Hegseth said. 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.
Pete Hegseth warned that Europe faces what he called an invasion of dangerous ideologies arriving by sea, linking immigration to the legacy of the D-Day landings in remarks in Normandy https://t.co/fDfTj1k24t pic.twitter.com/BqATCx8aal
— Reuters (@Reuters) June 6, 2026
Migration has emerged as a major political issue across Europe, with parties advocating stricter immigration policies gaining significant support in opinion polls. Hegseth’s remarks represent another instance of criticism directed at European migration policies by senior officials in the Trump administration. Immigration remains a key priority for the administration of US President Donald Trump. Since January 2025, agents of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement have carried out thousands of arrests as part of the administration’s intensified immigration enforcement efforts.
Newsinc24 Team





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