The tattoo controversy will add unwanted questions for Mr Hegseth following a major blunder where war plans were discussed with senior US officials over the app Signal while a journalist was present.

The term "kafir" (meaning "infidel" or "non-believer") is used in Islam to describe non-believers and has increasingly been appropriated by far-right groups.

Critics argue that the tattoo, paired with his "Deus Vult" ink—a Crusader slogan—reflects hostility toward Islam. While supporters claim it symbolizes defiance against extremism, many Muslims see it ...

Pete Hegseth's new "kafir" tattoo sits just below another inked phrase across his bicep. In Arabic, the term historically ...

Hegseth has brushed off the controversy, saying that the chat did not include classified information. Now, he is in Guam and Hawaii on a trip to visit U.S. troops. The new tattoo revealed in ...

Photos show that Hegseth has the word "kafir" tattooed in Arabic below his right bicep. The phrase is used in the Quran to ...

Hegseth's tattoos and their controversy A war veteran and a former Fox News host, Pete Hegseth is covered in tattoos. Among them, the most controversial one so far was the Jerusalem Cross on his ...

Pete Hegseth and his tattoos continue to be a subject of controversy. The US Secretary of Defence is facing criticism after new images from a military training exercise at Pearl Harbor surfaced, ...

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is being slammed for a recently spotted Arabic tattoo on his right bicep, which critics argue is Islamophobic. Observers noticed the tattoo when Hegseth worked out ...