The US Secretary of Defence, Pete Hegseth, has urged European nations to strengthen their defence efforts during a speech at the American military cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, France.
Standing before 9,387 white crosses marking the graves of American soldiers who died in the Battle of Normandy, Hegseth emphasised the wartime sacrifice of allied nations in 1944.
“Every partner contributed its industry, courage, and sacrifice,” he said, urging Europe to do more today, adding that slogans, lavish summits, and communiqués were insufficient.
Hegseth reiterated that America would lead but stressed the importance of allies standing “shoulder to shoulder” with the US. His comments came after he opted out of attending the multinational D-Day commemoration to focus solely on the American ceremony.
He declared that “peace is only guaranteed by strength” but avoided mentioning specific ongoing conflicts, such as those in Ukraine or Iran. French Defence Minister Catherine Vautrin attended the ceremony.
Hegseth also alluded to immigration as a potential threat to Western civilisation, comparing it to the D-Day invasion 82 years ago. He singled out southern European coastal nations as areas he claimed were vulnerable to ideological challenges.
“Today, various dangerous ideologies are landing on different European shores—Spain, Italy, Greece, and Bulgaria,” Hegseth stated, questioning whether European capitals would act or whether it was “already too late.”
The June 6, 1944 Normandy landings remain history’s largest amphibious military operation, with 6,939 ships and 132,700 troops from nations including the US, UK, Canada, Belgium, Norway, and Poland storming 80 kilometres of French coastline.
This pivotal offensive ultimately contributed to the defeat of Nazi Germany, as allied forces advanced from the west while the Soviet Union pressed from the east.
