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  • Pete Hegseth tattooed the Jeruselem Cross on his chest as a sign of his religious fevor. (Photo: NBC/ScreenCap)

    Pete Hegseth tattooed the Jerusalem Cross on his chest as a sign of his religious fervor. (Photo: NBC/ScreenCap)

    Pete Hegseth is trying to play down links to white Christian militancy reflected by two of his prominent tattoos, but they raise troubling questions about his mental fitness to be leader of the most powerful military in the world.

    Hegseth, a decorated military veteran in Iraq and Afghanistan and part-time Fox News commentator, was nominated to become Secretary of Defense by President-elect Donald Trump.

    His lack of experience and past allegations of drunkenness, alleged sexual assaults and serial cheating on all three wives were the main focus of a Senate confirmation hearing this week.

    The evangelical Christian’s controversial tattoos received only a brief mention during the hearing, and he defended them, saying they merely symbolized his Christian faith.

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    Bit Hegseth belongs to a fringe denomination known as “Reformed Reconstructionism,” according to Matthew Taylor, an academic with the Institute for Islamic, Christian and Jewish Studies.

    The sect believes in applying biblical Christian law to society, exclusively male leadership, and actively preparing the world for the “Second Coming,” the prophesied return of Jesus.

    He also belongs to a Nashville church that is an offshoot of Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho, founded by conservative, evangelical Pastor Doug Wilson. 

    Among other controversial positions, Wilson has stated in his books that “slavery produced in the South a genuine affection between the races” that was more beneficial for blacks before the Civil War or after, including emancipation.

    Academic critics have called the view tantamount to “Holocaust denial.”

    Wilson calls the Crusades “horrifying” but a necessary reaction to “Muslim aggression.”

    Wilson also believes in the imminent second coming of Christ and the need for a nation based on evangelical Christian principles and Christian education.

    “Part of the movement around Doug Wilson is his ambition to use the Bible, use the Christian tradition to recast American society as a Christian nation, part of Christendom and to reclaim society and to even militarize this vision of Christendom against the rest of the world,” Taylor told NBC. (See Video)

    Taken together, they raise questions about Hegseth’s true philosophical beliefs, the level of influence his evangelical Christian views will have on U.S. national security policy and whether he is fit to lead a multi-cultural military force.

    The only protesters at Pet Hegseth’s confirmation hearing zeroed in on his religious extremism. (Photo: NBC/ScreenCap)

    Experts cited by NBC News have  raised concerns that evangelicals will try to use the Trump administration to exert influence on policy decisions and legislation.

    The tattoos — one known as the “Jerusalem Cross” and the other a Latin slogan “Deus Vult,” meaning “God Wills It” — have long been tied to violence and Christian militancy, going back to the Crusades, from which they originated.

    The Jerusalem Cross dates to 1099; European Crusaders adopted it to represent the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem — the lands conquered in the name of Christ in a bloody 11th century, Middle East onslaught.

    The phrase Deus Vult was used as a rallying cry during the First Crusade in 1096. Hegseth used the phrase to close his 2020 book “American Crusade” and has it tattooed on his bicep.

    The Crusaders have been romanticized in Western culture, but during their near 100-year reign, Christian legions slaughtered tens of thousands of Muslim men, women and children and conducted pogroms in Europe that sought to wipe out the Jews.

    Over the centuries, the large central cross surrounded by four smaller crosses came to symbolize militant Christianity and the violent conversion of non-Christians to the faith.

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    Modern day white supremacists and neo-Nazis have affiliated with the Crusades and adopted Crusader symbols because of their violent anti-Muslim, and anti-Jewish history.

    A white supremacist who shot 50 people dead in Christchurch in New Zealand reportedly had cited the Crusades in his so-called manifesto and far-right protesters at a rally in Charlottesville, Va, in 2017 also referenced the crusades.

    During the hearing, Hegseth called the Jerusalem Cross a “mainstream Christian symbol.” In fact, it still is used, mainly by Eastern Orthodox Christians, and represents the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem.

    “Things like focusing on extremism… has created a climate inside our ranks that feels political when it hasn’t ever been political,” he said.

    Taylor, who has emerged as one of the chief experts on the meaning of Christian symbolism, has said the Jerusalem Cross is a symbol historically favored by the far-right and neo-Nazi groups.

    Deus Vult,” is even more prominently embraced (by extremist groups) as a very aggressive vision of Christian conquest, he adds.

    While neither are included in the Anti-Defamation League’s list of hate symbols, “there is an Islamophobia and hatred of Islam that underlines all this. Some of these talking points are neo-Nazi talking points,” Taylor explained.

    “That doesn’t mean he [Hegseth] is a neo-Nazi, but he is traveling down avenues that are verging on neo-Nazism.”

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    While Hegseth has no known ties to white supremacist groups, he has written about the Crusades in one of his books, which contained a chapter titled: “Make the Crusades Great Again.”

    He lauds the Crusades as a defense of Western civilization and claims the Crusaders contributed to the founding of  “freedom” and “equal justice under the law” in Western society.

    Hegseth’s choice of tattoos was concerning enough to remove him from Army National Guard duty at President Joe Biden’s 2021 inauguration as a matter of “high importance.” The order removing Hegseth has since been made public. It reads in part, as follows:

    “The information provided this falls along the line of Insider Threat and this is what we as members of the U.S. Army. District of Columbia National Guard and the Ant Terrorism/Force Protection Team strive to prevent,” it states in an opening preamble.

    “Good evening Sir. As a member of the District of Columbia National Guard ATFP Team it’s my duty to provide you information regarding our service members. I received the attached information today from a former DC Guard member regarding MAJ Hegseth of the MAC and this information is quiet disturbing, sir.  MAJ Hegseth has a tattoo of “Deus Vt (sic)” on his inner arm (bicep area). The phrase “Deus Vult” is associated with Supremacist groups in which White-Supremacist use of #DeusVult and a return to medieval Catholicism. is to invoke the myth of a white Christian (i.e. Catholic) medieval past that wishes to ignore the actual demographics and theological state of Catholicism today, let alone the doctrinal practices of contemporary Catholicism.
    Disseminated in the form of hashtags and internet memes. Deus Vult has enjoyed popularity with members of the alt-right because of ts perceived representation of the clash of civilizations between the Christian West and the Islamic world. Crusader memes. such as an image of a Knight Templar accompanied by the caption ‘I’ll see your Jihad and raise you one crusade’ are popular on far-right internet pages. The motto is also used by nationalist groups in Europe and was portrayed on large banners during marches celebrating the Polish National Independence ay in 2017.

    According to AR 670-1 (3-3) states “The following types of tattoos or brands are prejudicial to good order and discipline and are, therefore, prohibited anywhere on a Soldier ‘s body: Extremist: Extremist tattoos or brands are those affiliated with. depicting. or symbolizing extremist philosophies, organizations. or activities. Extremist philosophies, Organizations. and activities are those which advocate racial gender or ethnic hatred or intolerance: advocate, create. or engage in ilegal
    discrimination based on race, color. gender, ethnicity. religion. or national origin: or advocate violence or other unlawful means of depriving individual rights under the U.S. Constitution, and Federal or State law.
    MG Walker, Sir with the information provided this falls along the line of Insider Threat and this is what we as members of the U.S. Army. District of Columbia National Guard and the Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection Team strive to prevent.”
    Thank you for your time and attention to this matter, Sir.

    Hegseth said his treatment by the Army National Guard led to his retirement. But his religious views seem to permeate his outlook on such pressing Pentagon issues as recruitment, the future of the nation’s multi-cultural fighting force and the deployment of women in combat.

    Of the estimated 1.3 million active duty troops today, about 70 percent identify as Christian. A quarter of those are Catholic and half are Protestant or other denominations. A quarter of U.S. troops provide no religious affiliation.

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    Muslims and Jews make up fractional percentages of U.S. enlistments.  About 10,000 service members are Jewish and about 5,000 are Muslim, roughly reflecting their makeup in  society.

    Today’s military “is one of the most diverse institutions in American society, racially, ethnically and especially religiously,” Ronit Stahl, author of “Enlisting Faith: How the Military Chaplaincy Shaped Religion and State in Modern America,” told NPR

    “To have a secretary of defense who promulgates a worldview or operates within a worldview where not just Christianity, but a certain strand of Christianity, is the right religion, potentially changes the tenor of what an ethos of religious pluralism looks like in the military,” adds Stahl, a professor of history at the University of California at Berkeley.

    Hegseth is an unabashed opponent of so-called “DEI” — Diversity, Equality and Inclusion — programs in the military. But the U.S. Army’s Army’s careers-and-jobs website touts its “multi-faith programs — ministers, priests, imams, rabbis, and more”– as a major DEI program and recruiting tool.

    The peacetime armed forces rely on voluntary recruits. It must compete in a robust economy, where jobs have been plentiful, against other employers that offer better pay and benefits.

    To beef up recruiting to counter shortfalls, the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Space Force have introduced new programs and enticements that seem to be paying off. Four out of five branches met their goals in 2024 and the Navy came close, according to the Pentagon.

    But the Trump nominee’s vow to go to war against DEI in the military could profoundly affect the very programs and enticements that have bolstered recruiting, which is only going to get tougher due to a projected demographic decline in the youth population.

    “I think we’re going to probably continue to see pretty low unemployment. We’re still going to see 60 percent go to college. It’s a more competitive labor market,” Army Secretary Christine Wormuth told The Associated Press.

    “So we’re going to have to kind of keep fighting hard for our new recruits.”

    Ironically, one of the military’s targeted recruiting markets is legal permanent residents, who are not citizens, i.e. immigrants. The services are also offering prep courses to potential recruits without high school diplomas to avoid lowering entry standards.

    So far, the Defense Department “remains steadfast in its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in its armed forces,” according to Military One Source, a DOD website.

    “A military that reflects the diversity of the nation it serves and in which every member is treated with dignity and respect is critical to total force readiness.

    “The DOD continues to strengthen policies and procedures that eliminate barriers and allow service members to realize their potential and rise to the highest levels of responsibility,” the policy states.

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    The website identifies specific programs targeted to achieve DEI goals, including counseling, racial and ethnic diversity training, in service transition for transgender soldiers, management programs, legal and financial help for LGBTQ members.

    At his confirmation hearing Hegseth was asked how he intended to “fix” the military’s recruiting problems.

    “First and foremost, up front, you have to tear out DEI an CRT [Critical Race Theory is not taught in the military] initiatives root and branch out of our institutions.

    “And, then you have to put in Army, Air Force and Navy Secretaries and other citizens at the helm who are committed to the same priorities that the President of the United States is and if confirmed, the Secretary of Defense will be.

    “This is not a time for equity. Equity is a very different word than equality.”

    Hegseth’s view of the military mirrors a doctrine pushed by the conservative Heritage Foundation as stated in a July 2024 position paper and would ultimately result in a hostile workplace.

    The military has one job: keeping America safe from foreign enemies by focusing defense spending on capability and lethality. Under the Biden administration, however, military spending is increasingly focused on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, which waste money and divide troops—posing a threat to our national security.

    “This system has expanded under President Biden. In fiscal 2023, the Pentagon received $86.5 million for DEI programs, up from $68 million in 2022. For fiscal 2024, the Pentagon increased its DEI program funding request further, to a staggering $114.7 million.

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    “It is essential that the military make the most of the money it receives. That means spending money on projects that will improve national security, not on DEI initiatives that serve as mere virtue signaling,” the paper notes.

    The Heritage Foundation produced the highly controversial report known as the Project 2025, which offers an authoritarian prescriptiton for the nation with ultimate power vested in the President.

    Hegseth’s views on women in the military also seem to be colored by his religious belief in an exclusive patriarchical or male society. In past public comments, he has disparaged women serving in combat and claim standards have been lowered to accomodate them.

    He gingerly walked back those views during the hearing, but that only creates more questions about his true intentions.

    He has also vowed to purge more than 15,000 transgender soldiers simply because of their sexual orientation and to restore the ranks of 10,000 soliders who willfully disobeyed orders and refused to take the COVID vaccine.

    Taken with his other comments and his religious beliefs,  the nominee’s call for a “warrior culture” in the military, focusing on “warfighting, lethality, meritocracy, standards, and readiness.” But it smacks of a military fashioned like a white Christian Army of God — similar to the Crusaders he so admires.

    Far from a “meritocracy,” Hegseth appears ready to impose ideological tests and fealty to Trump as key determinants for promotions to the department’s highest ranks.

    “Hegseth’s deep ideological commitment to extremist Christian nationalism, if put in a position of great power and authority, would pose a serious threat to the right to religious freedom enshrined in the U.S. Constitution,” according to the Interfaith Alliance, which focuses on building “a resilient, inclusive democracy.”

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    In his books, he writes that the United States will be destroyed and “human freedom will be finished,” if it cannot defend against Islamist and leftist ideology.

    Hegseths is also ready to launch a domestic political war against whe he defines as “our leftist opponents,” which he couldn’t actually define during the hearing.  But his writings are clear.

    He describes “leftists, progressives and Democrats” as “enemies” of freedom, the US constitution and America.

    “Whether you like it or not, you are an ‘infidel’ – an unbeliever – according to the false religion of leftism.” He added: “You can submit now or later; or you can fight.”

    The goal, he writes in his 2020 book is  to “mock, humiliate, intimidate, and crush our leftist opponents,”  to “attack first” in response to a left he identifies with “sedition.” He then goes on to lay “out the strategy we must employ in order to defeat America’s internal enemies.”

    Hegseth apparently would have no problem order U.S. combat troops to attack American citizens protesting the government, according to his writings.

    “The hour is late for America. Beyond political success, her fate relies on exorcising the leftist specter dominating education, religion, and culture – a 360-degree holy war for the righteous cause of human freedom.” he writes.

    He claimed a Democratic 2024 election victory would have led to a “national divorce.”

    “The military and police … will be forced to make a choice” and “Yes, there will be some form of civil war,” he threatened.

    He also claims the world today is much like the 11th century. ‘By framing Muslims as enemies and refugees as invaders, Hegseth seeks to further divide Americans along lines of religious belief—and gleefully embraces the idea of destructive religious conflict,” according to the Alliance.

    “He argues that Islam is inherently violent and that the rise of Muslim communities in America represents an existential threat to the country. His harsh stance on immigration and refugees echoes the same xenophobic rhetoric that has fueled fear and division across the globe.”

    These views are dangerous and inherently anti-American. There is nothing unifying in his views. “Hegseth is focusing on cultural battles and risks distracting the department from its primary mission: safeguarding the nation,” wrote the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank.

    For one, he’s willing to reopen the cultural battle over removing the names of Confederate generals from nine U.S. military bases. He called the move “a sham,” “garbage,” and “crap.”

    The names were viewed as relics of the nation’s deep wounds over slavery and honored traitors to the union.

    Hegseth can’t be allowed to easily dismiss positions he has held for years with the blithe comments and generalizations he uttered during the confirmation hearing.

    The Founding Fathers rightly believed in a clear separation of church and state. They thought it would protect religious freedom and prevent religious interference in government. They were motivated, in part, by the constant religious wars in Europe at that time.

    They believed that religion was a private matter, and the government should not be involved in it.

    But Hegseth view of the military as a Christian army in a life and death struggle with religions antithetical to Christianity is exactly what the founding fathers warned us against.

    He would present a clear and present danger to the United States and its natonal security.