As President-elect Donald Trump continues to announce his nominations for Cabinet appointments, those nominees continue to come under public scrutiny. Among them is Pete Hegseth, Trump’s selection for secretary of defense.
Hegseth, who is perhaps best known as a pundit for Fox News, has years of experience in the military and as a political activist. However, since Trump announced Hegseth as his nominee for secretary of defense, Hegseth has been accused of having ties to white nationalism. He has also been accused of having committed sexual assault in 2017.
Hegseth roundly denies both claims.
Pete Hegseth’s Tattoos Raise Questions for Some
Some have alleged that Hegseth is sympathetic to white nationalism on the basis of his numerous tattoos, most of which contain themes that are religious, militaristic, or both.
On Hegseth’s chest is the Jerusalem cross, which consists of one large cross surrounded by four smaller crosses. To some, it symbolizes the gospel spreading to the four corners of the earth. To others, the four smaller crosses symbolizes the four gospel accounts recorded in the New Testament. To others still, the five crosses represent the five wounds of Jesus Christ on the cross.
The symbol was widely popularized in the 11th century during the first Christian Crusade and is associated with the Kingdom of Jerusalem, which was also known as the Crusader Kingdom. The Jerusalem cross was known to serve as a coat of arms for conquering armies.
The symbol is still used widely today among Christians of various traditions, including some who reside in and around Jerusalem.
On Hegseth’s right arm is the Latin phrase “Deus Vult,” which roughly translates to “God wills it.” It was also popularized in the 11th century during the First Crusade. It was a rallying cry for conquering armies, reinforcing their belief that the taking of Jerusalem was their divine right.
In recent decades, the phrase has been associated with white supremacist groups, who use the metaphor of the Crusades as a counter-narrative to Muslim jihad. At times, violence or the threats of violence against non-white groups has been associated with the phrase’s modern usage.
Additionally, Hegseth has a tattoo on his arm of a medieval sword overlaid on a cross—another image associated with the Crusades. Below the tattoo is the name of Jesus written in Hebrew.
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Hegseth’s non-religious tattoos contain imagery associated with patriotic militarism. They include an image of the American flag overlaid with an assault rifle; the insignia of the U.S. Army’s 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, with which Hegseth served; the “Join or Die” snake, which was popularized during the American revolution; and a recreation of the words “We the people” from the U.S. Constitution.
