“Deus Vult” (“God Wills It”) emblazoned across his bicep—widely recognized as a Crusader battle cry. The Chi-Rho, a Greek Christogram used by Emperor Constantine before his historic military victory ...

A Symbol of Controversy The tattoo, located beneath his arm, appears under another inscription reading “Deus Vult,” Latin for “God wills it,” a slogan associated with the Crusades. The discovery has ...

Pete Hegseth, U.S. Defense Secretary, is facing intense criticism after unveiling a new Arabic tattoo that reads "kafir" (كافر), meaning "disbeliever" or "infidel." Critics argue that the tattoo, ...

Pete Hegseth faces backlash for Arabic tattoo ‘kafir’ next to ‘Deus Vult’, sparking accusations of anti-Muslim sentiment.

Just below his Deus Vult tattoo on his right biceps, the new tattoo in question appears. Social media posts claimed that the new tattoo translates to Kafir. There has been no confirmation about this.

British journalist Dilly Hussain, meanwhile, wrote, “Muslims should not be offended or shocked at Pete Hegseth’s new ‘kafir’ tattoo or his crusader ‘Deus Vult’ tattoo.

British journalist Dilly Hussain wrote: “Muslims should not be offended or shocked at Pete Hegseth’s new ‘kafir’ tattoo or his crusader ‘Deus Vult’ tattoo. He’s merely displaying ...

While his “Deus Vult” tattoo and other tattoos were scrutinized when he was nominated to lead the U.S. military, his “kafir” tattoo was not. In an Instagram post on July 26, 2024, the ...

Hegseth, an Army National Guard veteran, has the words “Deus Vult” tattooed on his bicep, which has been associated with white supremacist groups.

There’s a reason things don’t look like this anymore. (Heritage Art / Getty Images) This article appears in the March 2025 issue, with the headline “Neoclassical Redux.” ...

The tattoo that has drawn the most controversy is “ Deus Vult,” meaning “God Wills It,” which is associated with the Crusades against Islam from the 11th ventury onwards.

Hegseth has “Deus Vult” tattooed on his bicep, which means “God Wills It” in Latin, and a Crusaders' cross.