Pete Hegseth: Trump’s new Secretary of Defense is a fanatical crusader and nationalist – The tattoos that betray him –

Trump’s choice to lead the Pentagon, Fox News host and military veteran Pete Hegseth, is causing concern in the US, and in particular for the position of Secretary of Defense of the United States.

His appointment is one of the most controversial in Trump’s new cabinet, but it is not the first time he has flirted with backlash. CBS News reports that Hegseth was one of 12 National Guard members removed as guards for President Biden’s 2021 inauguration because of possible extremist ties, though his orders were said to have been revoked because of a Jerusalem cross tattoo on his chest of which some identify with white nationalist groups. He has denied any sympathy for these groups.

There are tattoos on his body with far-right and nationalist references, which he often displays as they reflect his deepest beliefs and personal values. Hegseth has tattoos linked to white supremacist and neo-Nazi movements, including the so-called Jerusalem cross, a symbol used by Christian nationalists.

Also, most of his tattoos are associated with the Crusades, and he has also written a book entitled “American Crusade”.

The Cross of Jerusalem on his chest

The Jerusalem cross is one of his most characteristic tattoos. It consists of a large Christian cross surrounded by four smaller crosses in each quadrant.

It is an age-old symbol dating back to the 13th century, where it was used as a symbol of the Kingdom of Jerusalem during the Crusades.

The cross has become more controversial in the 21st century due to its perceived links to Christian nationalism.

“God Wills”

Hegseth has a tattoo on his bicep with the phrase “Deus Vult” which means “God will do it”. This is a phrase that originated from the First Crusade as a Christian battle cry.

In recent years, the phrase has also been adopted by far-right groups. Hegseth’s book “American Crusade,” which “explores” what America would be like without the American ideal, also ends with “Deus Vult.”

Cross and sword on forearm

Other Christian imagery in his hand includes a cross with a sword through it, which represents the Bible verse Matthew 10:34.

It goes like this: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace, but knives.”

This was the first tattoo he got while on vacation with his family.

Hegseth also has a Chi-Ro symbol on his upper arm. These are letters from the Greek alphabet: chi (which looks like X) and rho (which looks like P). They are also the first two letters of Christ in Greek. The monogram was an early symbol used to represent Christians.

«We the People»

The rest of his tattoos are mostly centered around American patriotism and include many symbols and imagery related to the US independence movement.

On his arm he has “We the People” which is the first line of the Constitution.

Above this tattoo is the date 1775 in Latin numerals – the same year the American Revolutionary War began.

Hegseth’s elbow is surrounded by 13 stars which may be a reference to the stars on the Betsy Ross flag – one of the first flags made to represent the US and the forerunner of the modern asterisk.

Snake “Join or Die”

In his hand he also holds the iconic “join or die” snake, which is the earliest known pictorial representation of the colonial union produced by the colonists in colonial America.

The cartoon, said to have been drawn by Benjamin Franklin himself in 1754, was published in the Pennsylvania Gazette and shows a snake cut into eight sections – instead of the 13 colonies – with New England included as one, Delaware a section of Pennsylvania and Georgia are missing entirely.

It later became a symbol of colonial freedom two decades later during the American Revolution.

The American Flag with the AR-15

One of Pete Hegseth’s most talked about tattoos is the American flag with an AR-15 rifle as part of it. This rifle, as he mentioned, is the weapon he used in his mission in Iraq