The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today reiterated its call for the Senate to reject the nomination of Pete Hegseth for secretary of defense after reports that he repeatedly shouted “kill all Muslims” in “a drunk and a violent manner” in 2015.
CAIR previously called for the Senate to reject Hegseth due to his calls for the destruction of Al-Aqsa Masjid, support for war crimes, and over his past smears targeting Muslims and Islam.
In a statement, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said:
“Based on his current views and past actions, it is clear Mr. Hegseth is totally inappropriate as a nominee for secretary of defense. Anyone who – even in a drunken state – would call for the slaughter of all members of a faith has disqualified himself from holding an important position that would inevitably interact with representatives of Muslim-majority nations.”
He noted that Hegseth has a tattoo stating “”Deus Vult,” Latin for “God wills it.” That phrase was the battle cry of the First Crusade.
In the coming weeks and the next session of Congress, CAIR plans to call on members of the U.S. Senate to scrutinize and reject extremist cabinet nominees based on each individual’s public record and positions that reveal a history of intolerance, extremism, or allegiance to foreign interests over American priorities.
CAIR has welcomed the Trump administration’s decision not to appoint former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to roles in the new administration and urged President-elect Trump to appoint foreign policy officials who will respect international law and prioritize American interests over those of any foreign nation, including Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@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