Pete Hegseth’s New Tattoo Is Causing a Stir with Muslims – Here’s What It Means

Pete Hegseth’s ink is making quite a stink.

The heavily tattooed secretary of defense was photographed Tuesday working out with Navy SEALs in Hawaii, with the images shared on X.

“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,” Hegseth wrote.

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. pic.twitter.com/a7nenKpCuY

— Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) March 25, 2025

Then came a closer inspection from Scott Adams, who posted his research on X.

“Interesting: Hegseth now bears a bold new tattoo—’Kafir,’ the Arabic word for infidel, inked on his arm. The term is commonly used by Islamist extremists to label non-believers, and Hegseth’s tattoo sends a clear message of defiance,” he wrote.

Since it was a Trump administration figure, there was, of course, outrage.

“The move was seen as Islamophobic by many, who took to social media to voice concerns that such actions reflect the policies that continue to oppress Muslims worldwide,” The Muslim Journalists posted on Instagram.

Palestinian activist Nerdeen Kiswani posted her disdain on X.

Hegseth just got a kafir (كافر) tattoo under his Deus Vult tattoo—a Crusader slogan. This isn’t just a personal choice; it’s a clear symbol of Islamophobia from the man overseeing U.S. wars.

“Kafir” has been weaponized by far-right Islamophobes to mock and vilify Muslims. It’s… https://t.co/PJpMVOSZni

— Nerdeen Kiswani (@NerdeenKiswani) March 26, 2025

“Hegseth just got a kafir (كافر) tattoo under his Deus Vult tattoo—a Crusader slogan. This isn’t just a personal choice; it’s a clear symbol of Islamophobia from the man overseeing U.S. wars,” Kiswani wrote.

Kiswani said the term “has been weaponized by far-right Islamophobes to mock and vilify Muslims. It’s not about his personal beliefs. It’s about how these beliefs translate into policy—how they shape military decisions, surveillance programs, and foreign interventions targeting Muslim countries.”

“The U.S. just bombed Yemen. This is the real-world impact of officials who glorify imperialist violence. These tattoos aren’t harmless—they reflect the policies that continue to kill and oppress Muslims worldwide,” she wrote.

“This is the normalization of Islamophobia at the highest levels of power. What else is this supposed to mean besides U.S. foreign policy being a crusade against Muslims?” Kiswani said.

“Tattooing the Arabic word kafir—which refers to someone who knowingly denies or conceals fundamental divine truths—on his body is a display of both anti-Muslim hostility and personal insecurity,” Nihad Awad, national executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations said, according to Newsweek.

“Secretary Hegseth can tattoo himself whatever he wants, but he should keep in mind that he leads the U.S. armed forces, which includes thousands of American Muslims, and that he is sworn to defend the American people, who include millions of American Muslims.”