The Secretary of Defense of the United States, Pete Hegseth, took advantage of the commemorations of the 82nd anniversary of D-Day to make a speech aligned with the main flags of Donald Trump’s foreign policy.
During a ceremony held in Normandy, France, he compared the migratory flow to Europe to a new form of “invasion” and demanded greater leadership from European allies in security issues.
D-Day marked the landing of American, British and Canadian troops on the beaches of Normandy on June 6, 1944, an operation considered decisive in the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi occupation.
In front of veterans, authorities and families of military personnel who participated in the Allied offensive against Nazi Germany in 1944, Hegseth stated that European countries today face threats that are different from those of the Second World War, but equally relevant.
The secretary cited the arrival of migrants via sea routes in southern Europe and questioned the capacity of the continent’s governments to respond to the phenomenon.
“Today, different European beaches are invaded by different dangerous ideologies,” he declared. He then mentioned migrant landings in countries such as Spain, Italy, Greece and Bulgaria.
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Speech reinforces Trump’s agenda
The statements reflect positions frequently defended by the Trump administration since the Republican’s return to the White House. The American government has criticized the conduct of European migration policy, in addition to pointing out weaknesses in the defense capacity of the continent’s countries.
In recent months, Washington has also increased pressure on allies to increase military spending and assume a greater share of costs related to regional security.
During the speech, Hegseth stated that international alliances need to be supported by concrete commitments and not just political declarations.
According to him, the countries that participated in the military effort during the Second World War contributed resources, soldiers and real sacrifices, a model that, in his assessment, should serve as a reference for current challenges.
