Pete Hegseth gets new ‘kafir’ tattoo: What it means

Secretary Pete Hegseth is coming under enormous fire after new photos from a Pearl Harbor military training exercise surfaced showing a tattoo on his arm. Written in Arabic, the word tattoo reads “kafir”, meaning ‘disbeliever’ or anyone that rejects true belief, according to Islamic Scholar Abdullah Al Andalusi.

Critics say that its placement next to another tattoo that reads, “Deus Vult” — a Latin slogan which traditionally accompanied the first Crusade — sends a message of hostility toward Muslims. It is a phrase that dates back to medieval Christian rallying cries to mobilise forces in religious wars that was later seen used by far-right extremist groups.

Interestingly, in a November interview with podcaster and former Navy SEAL Shawn Ryan, he claimed he was removed from a National Guard deployment during then President Joe Biden’s inauguration due to concerns over “extremist” tattoos. He defended his ink, particularly his Jerusalem Cross tattoo, as a symbol of his Christian faith.

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Hegseth's tattoo sparks outrage amid Islamophobia allegations

Nihad Awad, national executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, condemned the tattoo, stating, “It appears Islam lives so rent-free in Pete Hegseth’s head that he feels the need to stamp himself with tattoos declaring his opposition to Islam alongside a tattoo declaring his affinity for the failed Crusaders, who committed genocidal acts of violence against Jews, Muslims and even fellow Christians centuries ago.”

Notably, this comes amid reports surfaced that Hegseth and other high-ranking government officials allegedly discussed sensitive U.S. military attack plans using a publicly accessible messaging app. They inadvertently included Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg in the conversation. When asked about the leak, Hegseth denied that any classified information was shared, called Goldberg “deceitful,” and refused to comment further while speaking to reporters in Hawaii.

Plus, past allegations like in December, The New Yorker reported that he was allegedly heard chanting “Kill All Muslims! Kill All Muslims!” at an Ohio bar in 2015 while working for Concerned Veterans for America. His lawyer has denied these claims.

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Associated Press reported that in 2021, 12 National Guard members were removed from Biden’s swearing-in ceremony due to concerns about links to extremist groups.