Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth just sparked a firestorm with his latest tattoo, unveiled during a workout with Navy SEALs in Hawaii on Tuesday—and the backlash from liberals and Muslim activists is fierce. Hegseth, a heavily tattooed war veteran, shared photos on X, writing, “Kicked off the day alongside the warriors of SDVT-1 at @JointBasePHH. These SEALs are the tip of the spear, masters of stealth, endurance, and lethality. America’s enemies fear them—our allies trust them. Proud to spend time with America’s best”.
Photos:
But Scott Adams on X zoomed in on the ink: “Hegseth now bears a bold new tattoo—’Kafir,’ the Arabic word for infidel, inked on his arm… a clear message of defiance,” commonly used by Islamist extremists to label non-believers, per The Western Journal.
Photo below:
The reaction was swift and furious. Palestinian activist Nerdeen Kiswani blasted Hegseth on X, noting the “kafir” tattoo sits under his “Deus Vult” Crusader slogan: “This isn’t just a personal choice; it’s a clear symbol of Islamophobia from the man overseeing U.S. wars… The U.S. just bombed Yemen. This is the real-world impact of officials who glorify imperialist violence” (web ID: 1). She added, “‘Kafir’ has been weaponized by far-right Islamophobes to mock and vilify Muslims… It’s about how these beliefs translate into policy.” Nihad Awad of CAIR echoed, “Tattooing the Arabic word kafir… is a display of both anti-Muslim hostility and personal insecurity… He leads the U.S. armed forces, which includes thousands of American Muslims,” per Newsweek (web ID: 0). The Muslim Journalists on Instagram called it a reflection of “policies that continue to oppress Muslims worldwide.”
For Trump supporters, Hegseth’s tattoo is a powerful stand. Inked in early 2024, per Newsweek (web ID: 2), “kafir” signals defiance against America’s enemies—like the Houthis, recently decimated by U.S. strikes, per AP News. Hegseth, a former Fox News host with a Jerusalem Cross tattoo, has long embraced bold symbols, per The Times of India. Reports from The Guardian confirm the outrage, but X users cheer, “Hegseth’s a warrior—liberals can’t handle it!”
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