Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is facing intense backlash after photos posted online revealed that he has a tattoo of the Arabic word kafir, meaning “infidel” or “non-believer.”
The tattoo has ignited debate about its appropriateness and possible offense to Muslims, especially during a delicate moment for the U.S. military.
In Islamic theology, kafir identifies someone who does not believe in the faith. In recent years, the term has also been adopted by elements of the far-right, heightening the tattoo’s controversial nature.
Adding fuel to the fire is the fact that Joe Biggs, a former prominent figure in the far-right Proud Boys group, sports the same tattoo, deepening concern over ideological associations.
Nardine Kiswani, a Palestinian rights advocate from New York, took to social media to voice her outrage.
“This is not just a personal choice; it’s a clear symbol of Islamophobia from the man who oversees America’s wars.”
She emphasized that the word is often weaponized by far-right extremists to demean Muslims.
“It’s not about his personal beliefs. It’s about how these beliefs translate into policy – how they shape military decisions, surveillance programs, and foreign interventions targeting Muslim countries.”
Nihad Awad, who leads the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), also weighed in during an interview with Newsweek, criticizing the tattoo as emblematic of deep-rooted bias.
The Arabic word kafir, he said—used to describe someone who “knowingly denies or conceals fundamental divine truths”—is “a display of anti-Muslim hostility and personal insecurity.”
This isn’t the first time Hegseth’s body art has come under fire. Close to the kafir tattoo on his right arm is another controversial phrase: Deus Vult, Latin for “God wills it,” a slogan associated with the medieval Crusades.
He also bears a Jerusalem Cross tattooed on his chest, a symbol that critics argue further underscores his embrace of religious iconography with historical baggage.
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