Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense has spoken out against claims that his tattoos are symbols of white supremacy, calling the criticism “anti-Christian bigotry.”
Pete Hegseth, a longtime Fox News host and war veteran, sports a large Jerusalem Cross on his chest and the Latin inscription Deus Vult, which translates to “God wills it.”
Both symbols date to the Christian crusades in Middle East, and are considered by some to be common images in Christian symbology.
“Anti-Christian bigotry in the media on full display. They can target me — I don’t give a damn — but this type of targeting of Christians, conservatives, patriots and everyday Americans will stop on DAY ONE at DJT’s DoD,” Hegseth said in an X post Friday.
Hegseth spoke out after a report that Hegseth had been flagged as an “insider threat” by a fellow Army National Guard member who told leadership in 2021 the “Deus Vult” tattoo had been used by white supremacists.
Vice President-elect JD Vance slammed the Associated Press report in a post on X.
“They’re attacking Pete Hegseth for having a Christian motto tattooed on his arm. This is disgusting anti-Christian bigotry from the AP, and the entire organization should be ashamed of itself,” he wrote.
Hegseth also posted messages he said he received from people who had been encouraged by his appointment to lead the sprawling government agency.
“I know you’re busy, but I wanted you to know that my 17yr old Kyle was considering joining the MN Army NG, and in the wake of your nomination he decided to move forward. He will be participating in [Military Entrance Processing Station] at the end of the month,” read one message that Hegseth said he was “honored” to get.
Hegseth has promised to be an opponent of woke and DEI initiatives that have been embraced by the Department of Defense during the Biden years. His book “The War on Warriors” blames woke DoD policy for hurting recruitment.
The “Fox and Friends” presenter, 44, served tours in Afghanistan and Iraq and holds degrees from both Princeton and Harvard.
It’s not the first time Hegswerth’s tattoos have made headlines. In 2021, he claimed he was ordered to stand down as one of several National Guard members assigned to President Biden’s inauguration due to the Jerusalem Cross tattoo.
“I was deemed an extremist because of a tattoo by my National Guard unit in Washington D.C. and my orders were revoked to guard the Biden inauguration,” he said during a podcast interview.
“My commander called me a day before tepidly and was like Major you can just stand down. We don’t need you, we’re good. I’m like what do you mean, everybody’s there. He said, like, no no no…he couldn’t tell me.”
