France, June 6 -- Speaking on Saturday at the American military cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer on the Normandy coast, Hegseth marked the 82nd anniversary of the Allied landings in northern France by drawing a direct contrast between the shared sacrifice of World War II and what he presented as today's challenges facing Europe.

Hegseth, a former Fox News daytime television host, was appointed defence secretary under Trump's second administration in January, before the Pentagon began using the secondary title Department of War in September 2025.

"Sadly, today different European beaches are stormed by different dangerous ideologies," Hegseth said.

On "beaches in Spain and Italy and Greece and Bulgaria, boats and men arrive," he added. "Wh...