Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has ignited controversy after revealing a previously unnoticed tattoo on his right forearm that reads "كافر" (kafir) in Arabic—a word that translates to "infidel" or "nonbeliever." Derived from the root K‑F‑R, meaning "to cover" or "to conceal," the term implies that a kafir recognizes the truth of Islam but chooses to reject or hide it. [In Hebrew a כפרת is a covering and that relates to כופר - denier. Also כפרה - atonement which "covers up" sins]. As author and Cato Institute fellow Mustafa Akyol explains in a 2019 article: "Kafirs are seen as the sworn enemies of Islam and Muslims."
Hegseth identifies as a Christian and has often expressed his faith publicly. His religious beliefs are central to both his personal and professional identity, as demonstrated by his collection of tattoos, which he describes as extensions of his faith, patriotism and worldview.
His ink includes several religious symbols: "Deus Vult" ("God wills it") on his bicep—a slogan from the First Crusade—a cross and sword referencing to the verse in the NT, which he interprets as "not peace, but a sword," and a Jerusalem cross, a heraldic cross and Christian cross variant consisting of a large cross potent surrounded by four smaller Greek crosses, one in each quadrant, representing the Four Evangelists and the spread of the Christian gospel to the four corners of the Earth (metaphor for the whole Earth).
Remember - The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and at times directed by the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The most prominent of these were the campaigns to the Holy Land aimed at seizing Jerusalem and its surrounding territories from Muslim rule. Beginning with the First Crusade, which culminated in the capture of Jerusalem in 1099, these expeditions spanned centuries and became a central aspect of European political, religious, and military history. [See wiki].
This fan of armies of murderers [of Jews and others] in the name of Yoshke is one of the most powerful people in the administration and thus in the world. This is besides his other significant personality flaws. Remember - this man is second in command of the US military.
I will leave the interpretation and practical conclusions to you and keep my thoughts on this matter to myself [for now:-)].
