At the site where U.S. Army Rangers ascended 100-foot cliffs on D-Day 80 years ago, President Joe Biden likened the threats from Nazi Germany to those posed today by dictators and authoritarianism.
Speaking in Normandy, Biden urged Americans to resist isolationism and strengthen support for Ukraine, currently at war with Russia and its President Vladimir Putin. He emphasized that the bravery of the Army Rangers on D-Day is a call for Americans to defend freedom.
“Does anyone doubt that they would want America to stand up against Putin’s aggression here in Europe today?” Biden asked.
Although he did not mention his November 5 presidential election opponent, Donald Trump, he implicitly criticized Trump’s isolationist stance.
Biden remarked, “The most natural instinct is to walk away, to be selfish, to force our will upon others, to seize power and never give up.
American democracy asks the hardest of things: to believe that we’re part of something bigger than ourselves.”
Biden called for honoring the Rangers’ heroism on June 6, 1944, which was crucial for the success of the invasion.
“As we gather here today, it’s not just to honor those who showed such remarkable bravery on that day, June 6, 1944. It’s to listen to the echo of their voices.
“To hear them… They’re not asking us to scale these cliffs, but they’re asking us to stay true to what America stands for.”
By speaking at Pointe du Hoc, Biden echoed Ronald Reagan, who commemorated D-Day’s anniversary there 40 years prior, asserting democracy’s value and advocating for peace during the Cold War.
Biden aimed to connect World War II, the Cold War, NATO’s formation, and Russia’s current war with Ukraine, according to national security adviser Jake Sullivan.
“We’re the fortunate heirs of a legacy of these heroes, those who scaled the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc. But we must also be the keepers of their mission,” Biden said.
Biden’s visit to France, amid his re-election campaign, contrasted his stance with Trump’s. Trump has criticized support for Ukraine, advocated for an “America First” policy, and questioned NATO commitments.
Biden, emphasizing the importance of defending freedom, met with WWII veterans in Normandy and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. His speeches aimed to highlight the significance of democratic ideals and international alliances.