### Fox News Host Pete Hegseth's "Deus Vult" Tattoo Sparks Concerns of Extremism as He Awaits Confirmation

Pete Hegseth, a veteran of the Army National Guard and a Fox News commentator, has come under intense scrutiny as he awaits Senate confirmation to lead the Department of Defense under the Trump administration. Recently, a fellow Guard member alerted unit leadership about a tattoo on Hegseth's bicep reading "Deus Vult," a phrase associated with white supremacist groups. This email, shared with The Associated Press, flagged Hegseth as a potential "Insider Threat."

Hegseth, who has been vocal in criticizing Pentagon efforts to root out extremism in the military, has publicly dismissed the seriousness of military involvement in the January 6 Capitol attack. He has stated that he was wrongly labeled as an extremist by his District of Columbia National Guard unit due to a different cross tattoo on his chest, which resulted in his removal from guarding President Joe Biden's inauguration in January 2021.

The AP's investigation into Hegseth's extremism ties coincides with broader concerns about ideological extremism within military ranks. According to data from the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) at the University of Maryland, over 480 military-affiliated individuals have been accused of ideologically driven extremist crimes between 2017 and 2023. Of these, more than 230 were connected to the January 6 insurrection. Despite this, Hegseth has maintained that the issue of extremism in the military is overblown and "manufactured."

Hegseth's past actions lend a controversial backdrop to his potential new role. He has openly supported military personnel accused of war crimes and has criticized the Pentagon's justice system. He was notably instrumental in securing pardons from Donald Trump in 2019 for military figures facing serious charges, including a former U.S. Army commando accused of killing a suspected Afghan bomb-maker and a former Army lieutenant convicted of murder for ordering his men to fire at three Afghans.

In January 2021, while serving as the D.C. Army National Guard's physical security manager, Retired Master Sgt. DeRicko Gaither raised concerns about Hegseth's tattoos after receiving an anonymous email with photos. Following some research, Gaither deemed the "Deus Vult" tattoo troubling enough to alert his superiors. The phrase, which translates to "God wills it" in Latin, has historical roots in the Christian Crusades but has also been co-opted by some extremist groups.

Heidi Beirich from the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism noted that while tattoos like Hegseth's can be expressions of religious faith, their context and associations are essential in evaluating their implications. The phrase "Deus Vult" was notably found in the notebook of Mauricio Garcia, the Allen, Texas shooter, and in the manifesto of Anders Breivik, the right-wing extremist who killed 77 people in 2011.

As the Senate deliberates Hegseth's nomination, the controversy surrounding his tattoos and past comments continue to fuel debate about the presence of extremism in the military and what it means for national security. Hegseth's views and his past actions present a complex challenge for those weighing his suitability to lead the Department of Defense at such a critical juncture.