In January 2021, National Guard Master Sergeant DeRicko Gaither raised concerns about Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s nominee for defense secretary, over tattoos that seemed linked to right-wing extremism. Gaither pointed out Hegseth’s “Deus Vult” tattoo, a phrase historically tied to Christian crusaders, and a Jerusalem Cross, which some far-right groups now use as a symbol. Gaither flagged this as a potential “insider threat” to Major General William Walker. Hegseth, who had served in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Guantanamo Bay, later expressed feeling rejected by the military, which he felt no longer wanted him. Hegseth, in his book, described how his tattoos led to being pulled from Guard duty in Washington, and he claimed this experience fueled his disillusionment with the military. The National Guard has not commented on the matter.
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