US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth used remarks during D-Day commemorations in Normandy to reflect on the legacy of Operation Overlord — the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied France on 6 June 1944 that helped begin the liberation of Western Europe — and discuss contemporary security challenges facing Europe.
Speaking at the Normandy American Cemetery during events marking the 82nd anniversary of D-Day, Hegseth said, “Without Operation Overlord, we would not have the free world we know today” and described the operation as a moment when the United States and its allies “saved Western civilisation”.
He also drew parallels between the sacrifices made during the Second World War and present-day concerns about migration and security. Referring to arrivals across parts of southern Europe, Hegseth said, “Different European beaches are stormed by different dangerous ideologies” and questioned whether European governments would act on what he described as an “invasion”.
Hegseth concluded by stating that the freedoms secured by Allied forces in 1944 “must be maintained by this generation of leaders and war fighters”, arguing that preserving those achievements remains an ongoing responsibility.
The commemorations also honoured the nearly 160,000 Allied troops who landed in Nazi-occupied France on 6 June 1944, a pivotal operation in the Allied campaign to defeat Nazi Germany and end the Second World War in Europe.
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