US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced backlash from residents of a small French village during his visit to mark the anniversary of the D-Day landings. Hegseth, 45, was labeled as unwelcome by some locals in Langrune-sur-Mer, where a memorial ceremony was held on Saturday, as reported by French broadcaster BFM TV.
Sylvie Lamy Thepaut, a local activist and member of the community organization Langrune en Commun, criticized the Pentagon chief before the event, citing his perceived bellicose statements that seemed contrary to the village’s values of democracy and freedom.
In the days leading up to Hegseth’s visit to northern France, the civic and political group issued a statement urging event organizers to cancel his appearance, citing his alleged anti-European and supremacist remarks that contradicted principles of democracy, human rights, and peace.
The group pointed out Hegseth’s comments on “European parasitism” and his perceived American-centric views, calling for the cancellation of his visit to uphold the honor of Langrune, France, and the memory of fallen allies who fought for democracy on the beaches.
Chantal Richard, another member of Langrune en Commun, expressed concerns about what the group viewed as concerning actions by the Trump administration. She emphasized that the situation was not normal and highlighted the need to speak out against Hegseth’s perceived colonial, warmongering, racist, and far-right values.
The controversy arose as Hegseth arrived in France with his wife and six children, drawing criticism in the US over security expenses related to the trip. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell defended the decision, stating that Hegseth’s family covered their own travel costs.
Amid ceremonies commemorating the Allied landings anniversary, Hegseth appeared to criticize European nations on immigration and defense spending issues.
