A minister has hit out at Donald Trump’s defence secretary Pete Hegseth<\/a> after he used a D-Day<\/a> commemoration to attack Nato countries and accuse them of failing to tackle illegal immigration<\/a>. <\/p>\n Justice minister Jake Richards said he was \u201chorrified\u201d by the comments, which were \u201ctotally inappropriate and wrong\u201d for the occasion, adding \u201cI hope he regrets it \u201d.<\/p>\n Speaking in Normandy during a ceremony to commemorate the 82nd anniversary of the Allied landings<\/a>, which saw US and Allied forces liberate Western Europe from Nazi occupation, Mr Hegseth claimed Europe currently faces an “invasion<\/a> of dangerous ideologies” arriving by sea. <\/p>\n Mr Richards told LBC radio: \u201cI\u2019m actually horrified that someone \u2013 at a moment that we\u2019re there to remember those heroes who fell for all of us to enjoy the freedoms that we do today \u2013 launch some sort of political argument about illegal migration.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, illegal migration, the small boats crisis, is one of the biggest issues that come up in my constituency. It\u2019s one that this government has to get a grip of over the next few years.<\/p>\n \u201cBut when we\u2019re discussing D-Day and the history of those heroes, that\u2019s not the moment for politics, it\u2019s not the moment for those types of arguments, and I wish he hadn\u2019t made them. I don\u2019t think that was an appropriate remark and I hope he regrets it too.\u201d<\/p>\n Former UK defence secretary Ben Wallace also hit out at Mr Hegseth. He told The Independent that he and US vice president JD Vance \u201cwould do well to not believe everything they read on X and to read the inspiring D-Day speech by Ronald Reagan on the 40th Anniversary.\u201d <\/p>\n At the Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, Mr Hegseth said: “Sadly, today, different European beaches are stormed by different, dangerous ideologies. Beaches in Spain, Italy, Greece and Bulgaria, boats and men arrive.” <\/p>\n He challenged European leaders asking: “When will European capitals do something about that invasion<\/a> or is it too late? I pray not, and I believe not.”<\/p>\n His comments echo those of President Trump and Mr Vance, who have consistently attacked European countries for their approach to immigration. <\/p>\n A US National Security Strategy document issued last year even warned that Europe faced “civilisational erasure” and must “course-correct” to remain a reliable ally to the US. <\/p>\n It is not the first time the Trump adminstration has been accused of outrageous attacks on Nato allies. <\/p>\n Mr Trump<\/a> has previously been accused of \u201cinsulting\u201d the UK and other Nato members by claiming it would not come to America\u2019s aid \u2013 despite British soldiers fighting alongside the US in Iraq and Afghanistan.<\/a><\/p>\n Last year the US President suggested he would not defend Nato<\/a> countries that did not meet military spending targets<\/a>, saying: “I think it’s common sense, right? If they don’t pay, I’m not going to defend them.\u201d<\/p>\n He added that his \u201cbiggest problem\u201d with Nato was whether they would defend the US if called to do so.<\/p>\n![\"Donald](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2218166002...jpeg\")
Donald Trump’s defence secretary Pete Hegseth is facing condemnation over his claims (AFP\/Getty)<\/p>\n![\"Defence](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1247414262.jpg\")
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace hit out at Mr Hegseth amid criticiams of his claims (AFP\/Getty)<\/p>\n