41 Comments
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Sara Schnorr's avatar

😡😡😡😡 I despise Hegseth

Clifford Krauss's avatar

Outrageous and so counterproductive to the national interest. Imagine how the families of fallen European soldiers must feel.

Rob's avatar

Another drunken, unintelligent speech by Pete.

He is an embarrassment to ever wear the uniform and especially serve as Secretary of DEFENSE.

Johns Stack's avatar

I am an American, but Hegseth fills me with embarrassment that he represents America. His presence at the beaches of Normandy dishonors the legacy of those soldiers, American and Allied, who fought and died during the Normandy campaign. Rather than unite our Allies, those of then and now, he has squandered the solemn moment on those hallowed beaches by mouthing empty cliches of an ideology that is contrary to the cause for which those soldiers fought 82 years ago. I am feel shame for the inept Hegseth’s representation of my country, even though I am intensely proud of my country and is soldiers that fought with its Allies against the evil that they ultimately vanquished so many years ago.

Marlene Cohen Adair's avatar

What can we ever do to reconcile.

Johns Stack's avatar

Only a person much smarter than I may know the answer. Unfortunately Hegseth, Trump and their ilk, in my view, have been around for a long time.Perhaps even as far back as the Founding of the Republic. Also I believe that they, with their die hard supporters constitute no more than 15%-20% of our population.

Richard Davies's avatar

Hegseth’s sorry speech is another reminder that the deepest divide in our politics is not right/left. It’s opened-minded vs closed-minded, nuance not rigidity. Builders instead of wreckers. The new coalition of the willing is about curiosity and the ability to disagree better.

Tana Ganeva's avatar

Also he's a complete idiot, the only foreign invasion of Bulgaria's beaches is by drunk British tourists. Mideast refugees come in through the Turkish border and if you didn't listen to MAGA/Euro MAGA propaganda you wouldn't even know they're here. Most have similar coloring to Bulgarians. There have been no high profile crimes of refugees against Bulgarians, and they don't take jobs or depress wages—in fact, they fill labor shortages in construction since it's booming and many Bulgarians leave to work in Western Europe. Yet people have been brainwashed to disapprove of and fear them, because of trash like this and similar trash that fills people's media and social media spaces.

J. F. Riordan's avatar

The man is a buffoon.

Ruby Brown's avatar

Like his little boss.

Vivien's avatar

My deceased partner fought in Normandy . He is disgraceful!

Jeanne's avatar

I’ve said this many times, over the last 10 years, the US military, its officers are weak, absolutely no push back, not standing up for the oath they’ve taken, following incompetence, with no regard to it’s people.

Once again, the world is witnessing American arrogance at its best. This “ Person” who stands as the head of the US military, his officers in line, while he insults the world, insults those who gave their lives for freedom from fascist, for what?

What an insult to veterans, Europe. A stain on America which will not be forgotten anytime soon.

🇨🇦🇭🇺🇺🇦✌️

🐸🐸🐸Resist

John Papantoniou's avatar

Imagine the fear of the young soldiers heading towards the beaches to face German machine guns shooting 1200+ rounds a minute, cutting down young men at the prime of their lives. The ultimate sacrifice for freedom from tyranny. Yet today we have corrupt incompetent fools, full of hubris without a moral compass governing the United States. Today’s America is not what those young men fought and died for.

Carole Law's avatar

Thank you for reporting on this speech. My father survived Normandy and is rolling over in his grave. We are of French ancestory and appreciate the care with which they are taking care of our fallen heroes. As for his appalling comments concerning immigrants, our indigenous people need to remind him he is a product of immigrants. This is another fine example of the kind of individuals that Trump has in his cabinet. Congressional Republicans -- this should make you cringe. You are to blame for him ever being approved for this job.

Dian Phylipsen's avatar

As a british historian quoted in the Guardian said:

The comments represented a “special kind of loathsomeness: a blend of historical deafness, grotesque stupidity and comically ludicrous self-importance”.

MikeyCBR's avatar

42% of US agricultural laborers are undocumented immigrants. That is by design. They could have a permit system with ID, conditions of service and guaranteed pay but they don’t.

Because it’s cheaper when you don’t have to give workers proper conditions and pay.

Until Hegseth does a harvest season living and working as they do he should shut his fat racist tattooed yap.

Bob Tinsman's avatar

Hegseth's speech was vile, a stain on the memory of the soldiers we are remembering. His hate speech represents the sort of ideology that those soldiers were fighting AGAINST.

Deborah Meister's avatar

I mean, technically, the people storming the beaches on D-Day brought hope and liberation. I’m not sure Pete Hegseth’s decision to compare immigrants to Omaha Beach works the way he wanted it to!

Seth Stodder's avatar

Fantastic piece. Exactly right. So offensive in so many ways.