Syndication How the ‘Deus Vult’ gaming meme turned far-right March 27, 2018 - 3:39 pm Deus Vult, or ‘God wills it’, arose as the rallying cry of soldiers of the First Crusade.

While the phrase "deus vult" has taken on an array of meanings in 21st century political vernacular, many believe that it is a call for America to become an entirely Christian nation.

The Latin expression Deus Vult—or "God wills it"—originated in 1095, but has been adopted by the so-called alt-right along with white nationalists.

The phrase “Deus Vult” was also on flags at the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. A gunman who killed eight people in 2023 in Allen, Texas, had swastika and “Deus Vult” tattoos.

The alt-right’s memeification of “Deus vult” is just one part of what’s seen as the group’s larger obsession with anti-Islamic discourse and medieval imagery.