Pete Hegseth used his D-Day anniversary speech to score some lame political points and Simon Schama’s A++ response spoke for right-minded Brits everywhere
It was the anniversary of the D-Day landings on Saturday, that extraordinary day on 6 June 1944 when nearly 160,000 Allied troops landed in Normandy to begin the Allied liberation of Nazi-occupied Western Europe.
The United States secretary of defence, sorry, war, Pete Hegseth was in France to commemorate the moment, and his speech was just as statesmanlike and totally on-point as you would imagine. Which is to say, not much of either.
Hegseth uses his D-Day anniversary speech in Franch to take veiled shots at NATO and European immigration policies pic.twitter.com/D588VxMweq
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 6, 2026
There was no shortage of people to brilliantly put the former Fox News specimen in his place.
That wasn’t “veiled.”
That was an outright condemnation of the leeches who thanklessly depend on the USA for their existence, and have since 1945.
These things need to be said, openly and publicly. https://t.co/HqE0k9en3D
— Cynical Publius (@CynicalPublius) June 6, 2026
Pete Hegseth is a disgrace. https://t.co/gevUddvAMW
— Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) June 6, 2026
The commemoration of the bravery, tragedy and importance of D-Day is not ever the place to try and score cheap political points. What an ignorant and disrespectful dumbass. https://t.co/Gf8UMPInYL
— Greg Bagwell (@gregbagwell) June 6, 2026
Why did he construct an analogy in which he is on the side of the Nazis? https://t.co/fkZHQtf0Hx
— Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) June 7, 2026
A disgrace to the memory of the men and women who gave their lives to win World War II. https://t.co/MZkv1c3yV6
— Scott Greenfield (@ScottGreenfield) June 6, 2026
But surely no-one put it better than everyone’s favourite TV historian, Simon Schama.
This is a special kind of loathsomeness: a blend of historical deafness , grotesque stupidity, and comically ludicrous self- importance . As if the little people’s rage against immigration somehow is superior to the war against the 3rd Reich and entitles this comic book nobody to… https://t.co/7hn0VpWR7U
— Simon Schama (@simon_schama) June 6, 2026
‘This is a special kind of loathsomeness: a blend of historical deafness , grotesque stupidity, and comically ludicrous self- importance.
‘As if the little people’s rage against immigration somehow is superior to the war against the 3rd Reich and entitles this comic book nobody to lecture the actual heroes.’
Surely spoke for Brits everywhere. Well, definitely these people.
Being a historian these days and having to watch the distortion and misappropriation of our history is sad–just agonizing.
But that’s precisely why scholars have to step up and speak to the general public. Otherwise, people get their history from hucksters and fraudsters https://t.co/pS91ojNorJ
— Jim Wald (@CitizenWald) June 7, 2026
Hear, hear! https://t.co/L1HpPpgdrH
— Dr. Michael Riemens (@MJRiemens) June 7, 2026
“Comic book nobody” is such a great description of the cosplay tough guy Hesgeth https://t.co/OoYF2FsAkH
— Kevin Sampson (@ksampsonwriter) June 7, 2026
Source @simon_schama