On Tuesday, Hegseth shared a photo of himself performing jumping jacks and push-ups alongside Navy Seals at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. This revelation comes amid increasing calls for his resignation following his disclosure of detailed plans for a strike in Yemen within a group text on the Signal app with other Trump administration officials.

Hegseth has dismissed the uproar, asserting that the conversation did not contain classified information. He is currently visiting U.S. troops in Guam and Hawaii. The newly unveiled tattoo, visible in the video, features the Arabic term ‘kafir,’ which translates to ‘disbeliever’ or ‘infidel’ in the Quran, and is situated beneath his ‘Deus Vult’ tattoo.

The revelation has incited outrage among activists who are already displeased with his tattoos that depict Christian and American symbols. Nerdeen Kiswani, a pro-Palestinian activist based in New York City, expressed on social media, “Hegseth just got a kafir (كافر) tattoo under his Deus Vult tattoo—a Crusader slogan. This is not merely a personal choice; it serves as a blatant symbol of Islamophobia from the individual overseeing U.S. military operations.”

Kiswani characterized the tattoos as indicative of the “normalization of Islamophobia at the highest levels of power.” Others on social media echoed similar sentiments regarding the tattoo. Writer Tam Hussein remarked on X, “The كافر/kafir tattoo in the Quran signifies disbeliever. To the Muslim community, this tattoo will be perceived as a public declaration of Hegseth’s hostility towards them.”

In contrast, some defended the tattoo, arguing that it is a term commonly recognized among veterans of Middle Eastern conflicts. They noted, “This word is widely acknowledged among military veterans, particularly those who have served in the Middle East, as a symbol of defiance against Islamic extremism.”

Muslims should not take offense or be surprised by Pete Hegseth’s recent tattoos, including the ‘kafir’ and the crusader ‘Deus Vult’ designs, as noted by X user Dilly Hussain from the UK-based news outlet 5 Pillars UK. He argues that these tattoos reflect America’s foreign policy and its perspective on Islam and Muslims.

It remains uncertain whether the tattoo is indeed new, as it is located beneath his arm, where it may have gone unnoticed previously. The Department of Defense has not provided a response to a request for comment from DailyMail.com.

Hegseth, a veteran with service in both Afghanistan and Iraq and a recipient of two Bronze Stars, has more than a dozen tattoos adorning his right arm and chest.

Following meetings at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth faced scrutiny over his chest tattoo of a Jerusalem Cross, which drew criticism when he was nominated for the position, with Democrats labeling it a symbol of Christian right-wing extremism. Hegseth recounted that he was denied the opportunity to serve in a secure detail for his National Guard unit in Washington, D.C., due to this tattoo.

“I was labeled an extremist because of a tattoo by my National Guard unit in Washington, D.C., and my orders were rescinded to protect the Biden inauguration… a Jerusalem cross tattoo which is merely a Christian symbol,” he shared during an interview with podcaster Shawn Ryan.

Hegseth expressed that he had always been interested in tattoos during his youth but was discouraged by his father, a basketball coach. “I always wanted tattoos. Fortunately, my father steered me away from that early on because what I desired after high school was a basketball hoop with a flaming basketball going through it,” he stated in a 2020 interview.

He described his first tattoo as a spontaneous choice, inspired by his wife Jen’s decision to get a small tattoo on her left bicep. “I felt deep down that this was something I wanted to do, and I finally reached a point in my life where I could,” he revealed, noting that he was around 37 or 38 years old when he got his first tattoo. Most of Hegseth’s other tattoos represent…

Israel, Christianity, and my faith are of great significance to me, he stated.

He has several tattoos, including:

Jerusalem Cross on his chest
Hegseth’s most notable tattoo is a prominent Jerusalem Cross located on the right side of his chest. This design features a large Christian cross encircled by four smaller crosses, one in each quadrant. The Jerusalem Cross is a historic emblem that dates back to the 13th century, serving as the symbol of the Kingdom of Jerusalem during the Crusades.

‘Deus Vult’ on his bicep
On his bicep, Hegseth has the phrase ‘Deus Vult,’ which translates to ‘God wills it.’ This expression originated during the First Crusade and was used as a rallying cry among Christians. Additionally, Hegseth’s book, American Crusade, which he describes as an exploration of America’s identity without its foundational ideals, concludes with the phrase ‘Deus Vult.’

Cross and sword on forearm
Another piece of Christian imagery on his arm features a cross pierced by a sword, symbolizing the biblical verse Matthew 10:34. This verse states: ‘Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.’ This was the first tattoo he received while on a family vacation.

Hegseth also bears a Chi-Rho symbol on his upper arm. This symbol consists of the first two letters of Christ in Greek: chi (resembling an X) and rho (similar to a P). The Chi-Rho monogram was an early representation of Christianity.