Vice President-Elect Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) slammed the Associated Press on Friday for a hit piece against President-Elect Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, that dubbed him an alleged “Insider Threat” over his Christianity-themed tattoos. The best selling author and Fox News host Hegseth, 44, is a nearly 20-year Army National Guard officer who fought in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, rising to the rank of Major while earning two Bronze Stars. Vance, 40, is a Marine veteran of the Iraq war.
The AP tried to smear Hegseth as a possible white supremacist in an article about how he was barred from National Guard service during Joe Biden’s inaugural in January 2021 after he was reported by a fellow service member for having alleged extremist tattoos: One of a Jerusalem Cross and another that says, “Deus Vult,” (God wills it.) At the time, the anti-Trump Pentagon was starting to root out conservatives from the service in the wake of the January 6 riot at the Capitol by labeling them “Insider Threats.”
Hegseth has spoken and written about the incident and posted photos of his tattoos:
Pete Hegseth on being labeled an extremist for a cross tattoo on his chest by his own unit. Full episode releases today at 12:30PM CST. @PeteHegseth pic.twitter.com/5suhIG4hSE
— Shawn Ryan Show (@ShawnRyanShow) November 7, 2024
The AP’s Pentagon reporter Tara Copp posted her article to X with the caption, “Pete Hegseth, the Army National Guard veteran and Fox News host nominated by Donald Trump to lead the Department of Defense, was flagged as a possible “Insider Threat” by a fellow service member due to a tattoo he has that’s associated with white supremacists.”
WASHINGTON (AP) — Pete Hegseth, the Army National Guard veteran and Fox News host nominated by Donald Trump to lead the Department of Defense, was flagged as a possible “Insider Threat” by a fellow service member due to a tattoo he has that’s associated with white supremacists.…
— Tara Copp (@TaraCopp) November 15, 2024
Vance responded, posting, “They’re attacking Pete Hegseth for having a Christian motto tattooed on his arm. This is disgusting anti-Christian bigotry from the AP, and the entire organization should be ashamed of itself.”
They’re attacking Pete Hegseth for having a Christian motto tattooed on his arm. This is disgusting anti-Christian bigotry from the AP, and the entire organization should be ashamed of itself. https://t.co/tQxuD3RPlx
— JD Vance (@JDVance) November 15, 2024
Hegseth responded to Vance with a vow to end anti-Christian bigotry in the military, “Amen @JDVance. Anti-Christian bigotry in the media on full display. They can target me — I don’t give a damn — but this type of targeting of Christians, conservatives, patriots and everyday Americans will stop on DAY ONE at DJT’s DoD.”
Amen @JDVance. Anti-Christian bigotry in the media on full display.
They can target me — I don’t give a damn — but this type of targeting of Christians, conservatives, patriots and everyday Americans will stop on DAY ONE at DJT’s DoD. https://t.co/TCZVWsxEAS
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) November 15, 2024
Pete Hegseth, the Army National Guard veteran and Fox News host nominated by Donald Trump to lead the Department of Defense, was flagged as a possible “Insider Threat” by a fellow service member due to a tattoo on his bicep that’s associated with white supremacist groups.
Hegseth, who has downplayed the role of military members and veterans in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack and railed against the Pentagon’s subsequent efforts to address extremism in the ranks, has said he was pulled by his District of Columbia National Guard unit from guarding Joe Biden’s January 2021 inauguration. He’s said he was unfairly identified as an extremist due to a cross tattoo on his chest.
This week, however, a fellow Guard member who was the unit’s security manager and on an anti-terrorism team at the time, shared with The Associated Press an email he sent to the unit’s leadership flagging a different tattoo reading “Deus Vult” that’s been used by white supremacists, concerned it was an indication of an “Insider Threat.”
If Hegseth assumes office, it would mean that someone who has said it’s a sham that extremism is a problem in the military would oversee a sprawling department whose leadership reacted with alarm when people in tactical gear stormed up the U.S. Capitol steps on Jan. 6 in military-style stack formation. He’s also shown support for members of the military accused of war crimes and criticized the military’s justice system.
The email in question:
This January 2021 email from Hegseth’s National Guard security manager must be read — a jumbled word salad stupidly attempting to tie Hegseth to white supremacists because of a “Deus Vult” tattoo. It’s a Catholic motto dating back 1,000 years & it means “God wills it.” That’s it. https://t.co/WOYFj9M0Ne pic.twitter.com/i7P9ajp3Pn
— Jerry Dunleavy IV (@JerryDunleavy) November 15, 2024
At last Hegseth wasn’t busted for his Constitution preamble tattoo (that we know of):
Hegseth drew national attention for his tattoos during the Navy SEAL Swim across the Hudson River in 2023 with Fox co-host Will Cain:
‘GLORY TO GOD’: ‘Fox & Friends Weekend’ co-hosts Will Cain and Pete Hegseth join 70 others for the 2023 NYC Navy SEAL Swim across the Hudson River. https://t.co/HeFicJ7bXM pic.twitter.com/yTeduH2WtW
— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 20, 2023
The Trump campaign went to bat for Hegseth Friday night: “MEET @PeteHegseth: — 20+ year veteran with tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, and guard at Gitmo — Two Bronze Stars; Combat Infantryman Badge — Two Ivy League degrees — Veterans advocate — Next Secretary of Defense”
MEET @PeteHegseth:
— 20+ year veteran with tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, and guard at Gitmo
— Two Bronze Stars; Combat Infantryman Badge
— Two Ivy League degrees
— Veterans advocate
— Next Secretary of Defense pic.twitter.com/IFLe5RvNRh
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) November 16, 2024
