<
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/07/pete-hegseth-d-day-speech-immigration-grotesque-stupidity>
"The US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, has been accused by historians and
rights campaigners of “grotesque stupidity” and desecrating the memory of the
soldiers who stormed the beaches of Normandy after he sought to link
immigration to the D-day anniversary, saying Europe was facing a different
“invasion” of its shores.
Speaking in north-west France on Saturday to mark the 82nd anniversary of the
D-day landings, Hegseth seized on the moment marking the wartime liberation of
Europe to reiterate the US administration’s longstanding attack on European
immigration policies.
“Sadly, today, different European beaches are stormed by different, dangerous
ideologies,” Hegseth told those gathered at the American military cemetery in
Colleville-sur-Mer.
“Beaches in Spain, Italy, Greece and Bulgaria, boats and men arrive. When will
European capitals do something about that invasion, or is it too late? I pray
not, and I believe not,” he said.
“The men who fought and died here restored freedom to Europe,” added Hegseth, a
former
Fox News host. “That freedom must be maintained by this generation of
leaders and war fighters, or what they fought for was merely temporary.”
The remarks were swiftly condemned on social media. The English historian,
author and television presenter Simon Schama described them as a “special kind
of loathsomeness: a blend of historical deafness, grotesque stupidity and
comically ludicrous self-importance”.
Schama added: “As if the little people’s rage against immigration somehow is
superior to the war against the 3rd Reich and entitles this comic book nobody
to lecture the actual heroes.”
From Jerusalem, the Israeli human rights lawyer Daniel Seidemann also weighed
in. “This is an obscene desecration of the memories of those who stormed the
beaches of Normandy, and especially of those who fell,” he wrote.
Anders Åslund, a Swedish economist and former senior fellow at the Atlantic
Council, contrasted the comments with Hegseth’s later remarks on the US
standing alongside its allies. “So much nonsense,” he wrote on social media.
“‘We stand by our allies!’ No you don’t. You just attacked them. Immigration
policies are internal matters.”
Åslund said Hegseth’s comments were particularly “clueless” given his recent
decision to skip a key Nato meeting and Donald Trump’s vows to cut the number
of troops in Europe. “Doesn’t Hegseth know that the most unreliable ‘ally’ by
far is the US?” he said."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
