The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s “kafir” (Arabic for a person who knowingly conceals or denies fundamental, divine truths) tattoo “a sign of both anti-Muslim hostility and personal insecurity.”
SEE: Pete Hegseth Got a New Tattoo in Arabic. Here’s What It Means – Newsweek
Hegseth already had a tattoo stating “Deus Vult,” Latin for “God wills it.” That phrase was the battle cry of the First Crusade.
In a statement, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said:
“Tattooing the Arabic word kafir–which essentially refers to a person who knowingly conceals or denies fundamental, divine truths–on his body is a sign of both anti-Muslim hostility and personal insecurity.
“It appears Islam lives so rent-free in Pete Hegseth’s head that he feels the need to stamp himself with tattoos declaring his opposition to Islam alongside a tattoo declaring his affinity for the failed Crusaders, who committed genocidal acts of violence against Jews, Muslims and even fellow Christians centuries ago. You don’t see American Muslims running around with tattoos declaring their opposition to Christianity because we are secure in our own faith, we respect the beliefs of our neighbors and, in any case, most Muslims do not wear tattoos for religious reasons.
“Secretary Hegseth can tattoo himself with whatever he wants, but he should keep in mind that he leads the U.S. armed forces, which includes thousands of American Muslims, and that he is sworn to defend the American people, who include millions of American Muslims.”
In January, CAIR urged members of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee to oppose and question Peter B. Hegseth during his nomination hearing for Secretary of Defense.
CAIR previously called for opposition to Hegseth’s nomination following widespread reports that he repeatedly shouted “kill all Muslims” in a “drunk and violent manner” in 2015. CAIR also called for the Senate to reject Hegseth because of his calls for the destruction of Al-Aqsa Masjid, his support for war crimes, and his past smears targeting Muslims and Islam.
Washington, D.C., based CAIR specifically urged members of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee to question Hegseth on how he would uphold the rights and religious freedom of American Muslim soldiers in light of previously writing that Islam “is not a religion of peace, and it never has been” and claiming that “all modern Muslim countries are either formal or de facto no-go zones for practicing Christians and Jews.”
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com