Defense Secretary Hegseth Criticizes Europe Over Migration in D-Day Anniversary Speech

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth criticized European nations for allowing an 'invasion' of migrants during his D-Day anniversary speech in Normandy, France on June 6, 2026, 82 years after allied forces stormed French beaches. Between April 2025 and March 2026, there were 169,341 sea arrivals to the UK, Greece, Italy, Spain and Cyprus. US Vice-President JD Vance blamed the death of 18-year-old British student Henry Nowak on the 'mass invasion of migrants' on June 5, 2026.

Hegseth D-Day speech

• ▪The D-Day anniversary speech occurred 82 years after allied forces stormed French beaches to liberate Nazi-occupied north-western Europe in 1944
• ▪US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered a D-Day anniversary speech in Normandy, France on June 6, 2026
• ▪Pete Hegseth criticized European nations for allowing an "invasion" of migrants on their shores during the D-Day anniversary speech
• ▪Pete Hegseth stated that some European capitals have grown too "comfortable" with their hard-fought freedoms since D-Day, forgetting that "freedom is not free"
• ▪Pete Hegseth stated that the men who fought and died on D-Day restored freedom to Europe and that freedom must be maintained by the current generation of leaders and war fighters

European migration statistics

• ▪Crossings to the UK accounted for about 23% of the total sea arrivals to the UK, Greece, Italy, Spain and Cyprus between April 2025 and March 2026
• ▪English Channel small boat crossings to the UK between January 1 and June 3, 2026 were down by 38% compared to the same period the previous year
• ▪Migration has become a major political issue across Europe in recent years, with parties supporting hardline immigration policies surging in the polls
• ▪Between April 2025 and March 2026, there were a combined 169,341 sea arrivals to the UK, Greece, Italy, Spain and Cyprus
• ▪Sea arrivals into mainland Europe peaked in 2015, when the UN said more than a million people crossed the Mediterranean
• ▪Between January 1 and June 3, 2026, a total of 9,142 people crossed the English Channel by small boat to the UK from France

Trump administration criticism

• ▪The Trump administration's National Security Strategy, unveiled in December, asserted that if current trends continue Europe would be "unrecognisable in 20 years or less"
• ▪JD Vance said the "only response" to the death of Henry Nowak was "righteous anger"
• ▪The Trump administration's National Security Strategy stated that Europe's economic issues are "eclipsed by the real and more stark prospect of civilisational erasure"
• ▪US Vice-President JD Vance blamed the death of 18-year-old British student Henry Nowak on the "mass invasion of migrants" on June 5, 2026

UK government response

• ▪A Downing Street spokesman said the Nowak family had stated they do not want Henry Nowak's death to be used to create further division
• ▪UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said President Donald Trump's remarks about European immigration were "not right"
• ▪UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer accepted the "challenge" of tackling illegal migration, particularly from people crossing the English Channel in small boats
• ▪Henry Nowak was fatally stabbed in Southampton by Vickrum Digwa

Perspective of UK government officials

• ▪A Downing Street spokesman said the Nowak family had stated they do not want Henry Nowak's death to be used to create further division