Pete Hegseth, a prominent figure in conservative media and a former Fox News political commentator, has garnered significant attention throughout his career. Beyond his media presence, Hegseth’s background as an author, former Army National Guard officer with deployments to Guantanamo Bay, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and more recently, his appointment as Secretary of Defense in the Trump administration in 2025, have placed him under intense scrutiny. This scrutiny is amplified by serious allegations, including associations with white nationalism, Islamophobic statements, accusations of sexual assault, and reports of sexist behavior. This article delves into the question: Is Pete Hegseth A White Nationalist? We will examine the evidence, controversies, and criticisms surrounding Hegseth to provide a comprehensive analysis.
Peter (Pete) Hegseth’s public life began to take shape after graduating from Princeton in 2003. Identifying as an Evangelical Christian and born in Minnesota, his early career saw him deploy to Guantanamo Bay shortly after graduation. At this controversial facility, he served as a guard, overseeing the detention of hundreds of Muslim men and boys, many held without formal charges or trials. Hegseth’s own account of Guantanamo, as described in his memoir In the Arena, paints a grim picture, labeling it a “dirty place” housing “some of the world’s most dangerous Islamic extremists.” His military service extended to Iraq in 2006 and Afghanistan in 2012, where he trained Afghan security forces. Reflecting on his Afghanistan experience, Hegseth offered a stark assessment, “Afghanistan didn’t want freedom and our commitment wasn’t enduring,” suggesting a pessimistic view of the mission’s goals and the Afghan people’s aspirations.
The question of Hegseth’s potential association with white nationalism came sharply into focus in January 2021. Hegseth stated he was removed from his District of Columbia National Guard unit assignment to guard Joe Biden’s inauguration. The reason? A fellow service member reportedly flagged Hegseth as a possible “insider threat” due to a tattoo on his bicep linked to white nationalism. This service member alerted unit leadership, sharing an email with the Associated Press about Hegseth’s tattoo. The tattoo in question read “Deus Vult [God Wills It].” Dericko Gaither, the service member, explained in his email that “‘Deus Vault’ has enjoyed popularity with members of alt-right because of its perceived representation of the clash of civilizations between the Christian West and the Islamic world.” He further pointed out the phrase’s use by violent white nationalists, citing Brenton Tarrant, the Christchurch mosque shooter responsible for the deaths of 50 Muslims in 2019.
In November 2024, Hegseth addressed this controversy during an appearance on Shawn Ryan’s podcast. He displayed the tattoo, which he claimed led to his removal from inauguration duty, identifying it as a “Jerusalem Cross tattoo, which is just a Christian symbol.” The Washington Post in November 2024 reported that the “Jerusalem Cross was made into a prominent Christian symbol by Crusaders in the 11th century.” Following this incident, Hegseth resigned from military service. While Hegseth defends the tattoo as a Christian symbol, its appropriation by white nationalist groups and its historical context within the Crusades, a series of religious wars against Muslims, raises legitimate concerns about its connotations.
Hegseth’s Advocacy and Controversies at Veterans Organizations
After his Iraq deployment, Hegseth shifted his focus to veterans’ advocacy. In 2007, he became the executive director of Vets for Freedom (VFF), a conservative group supporting the War on Terror and veteran issues. However, his tenure at VFF ended in 2012 amid allegations of financial mismanagement, personal misconduct, and sexual impropriety. Despite this, he returned to active duty briefly in 2012 before transitioning to Concerned Veterans for America (CVA) as CEO from 2013 to 2016. His time at CVA was also marred by controversy. Internal sources cited “difference of opinion in the organization’s future” as the official reason for his departure, but reports suggest deeper issues. These included concerns about Hegseth’s handling of finances and allegations of using organizational funds for personal expenses, including partying and inappropriate behavior at CVA events. A particularly disturbing allegation involved Hegseth and his group reportedly chanting “Kill All Muslims! Kill All Muslims!” in a bar during a CVA event, further fueling concerns about his views and conduct.
Islamophobic Rhetoric in Media and Writings
Hegseth’s career took a significant turn when he joined Fox News in 2014, co-hosting weekend Fox & Friends until 2024. His time at Fox News is marked by numerous instances of anti-Muslim rhetoric and the amplification of Islamophobic narratives. In a 2016 segment on Hamtramck, Michigan, the first Muslim-majority city in the U.S., Hegseth stoked Islamophobic fears by questioning residents about mosques and Muslim “integration.” He also referenced the San Bernardino mass shooting, implying a link between the shooting and the Muslim community in Hamtramck, further contributing to a climate of fear and suspicion.
His anti-Muslim rhetoric extended beyond specific segments. In 2017, Hegseth criticized the then-Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges for delivering her State of the City address in a mosque, accusing the left of “fawning over a new community” and suggesting the mayor would “put on a head scarf.” In 2018, he blamed Muslim demography for a stabbing attack in France, warning of a “slow-motion 9/11” due to Muslim birth rates outpacing those of native French citizens. This rhetoric echoes the “great replacement theory,” a white nationalist conspiracy theory. The New Zealand mosque shooter’s manifesto also prominently featured concerns about birth rates, highlighting the dangerous convergence of Hegseth’s talking points with white nationalist ideologies.
Hegseth’s 2020 book, American Crusade, further solidified concerns about his views on Islam. Described as a guide to protect the nation from the “leftist agenda,” the book claims Islam has been “almost entirely captured and leveraged by Islamists.” He falsely asserts that “Islamists account for 25% of the global Muslim population” and promotes the idea that Muslim-majority countries are “no-go zones” for Christians and Jews. Hegseth explicitly draws parallels between the present day and the 11th Century Crusades, urging readers to “arm yourself — metaphorically, intellectually, physically,” against a perceived Muslim threat. He defends Trump’s Muslim ban and dismisses the notion of “Islam = Peace” as “naive and cowardly.”
Media watchdogs like Media Matters have documented numerous excerpts from American Crusade that are deeply hostile to Islam and promote anti-Muslim stereotypes. Hegseth suggests that “Islamists—and even mainstream Muslims—use aggressive tactics to exploit American ‘tolerance’ as utter weakness.” He explicitly invokes the Crusades, urging “American Crusaders” to emulate the medieval Christian crusaders against “Muslim hordes.” Journalist Jason Wilson in The Guardian noted Hegseth’s distortion of Islamic history, particularly the concept of “hijra,” to promote a conspiracy theory of a Muslim “takeover” of the West. Professor Jasmin Zine described Hegseth’s narrative as an “Islamophobic conspiracy theory” that aligns with white nationalist “demographic replacement conspiracies.”
Promotion of the “Great Replacement Theory”
Hegseth’s rhetoric frequently aligns with the “great replacement theory,” a core tenet of white nationalism. His claims that Muslims aim to “seed the West with as many Muslims as possible” and exploit birth rates to outnumber native populations directly echo this conspiracy theory. By framing Muslim birth rates as a strategic threat to American communities, Hegseth promotes fear and division. Despite the fact that Muslims constitute only about one percent of the US population, Hegseth’s rhetoric amplifies unfounded fears of a Muslim takeover, a common theme within white nationalist circles.
Allegations of Sexual Misconduct
Adding to the controversies, Hegseth faces serious allegations of sexual misconduct. A New Yorker profile detailed a history of sexist behavior, referencing a report from his time at CVA that described a “hostile workplace” and ignored sexual assault allegations. One allegation involved a female employee reporting a sexual assault attempt by another staff member. Further, during Hegseth’s second divorce in 2018, his own mother reportedly labeled him “an abuser of women” in an email, accusing him of deceitful and exploitative behavior. The New Yorker piece also detailed an allegation of sexual assault against Hegseth himself from 2017. While denying the assault claim, Hegseth reportedly paid the woman a settlement with a nondisclosure agreement, fearing termination from Fox News.
Support for Israel and Controversial Views on Jerusalem
Hegseth’s staunch support for Israel is framed within his broader “crusader” narrative. He views support for Israel as “a renewal of medieval crusades,” stating in American Crusade that Israel embodies the “soul of our American crusade.” His views extend to highly controversial territory regarding Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, a site holy to both Judaism and Islam. Hegseth has voiced support for reconstructing the “Third Temple” in Jerusalem, a project that would necessitate the destruction of Islam’s third-holiest site, the Al-Aqsa Mosque. In 2018, he explicitly called for a new Jewish temple at Al-Aqsa, dismissing any obstacles. Such views are deeply inflammatory and have the potential to incite significant international conflict. He has also stated that Zionism and Americanism are “the front lines of Western civilization and freedom,” further aligning his political views with a civilizational clash narrative often associated with far-right ideologies.
Close Ties to Donald Trump and Controversial Pardons
Hegseth’s close relationship with Donald Trump is well-documented. In 2019, he lobbied then-President Trump to pardon US service members accused of war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan, publicly defending them as “warriors, not war criminals.” His efforts were successful, with Trump pardoning individuals accused or convicted of serious war crimes, actions that sparked widespread criticism and raised concerns about accountability for military misconduct.
Criticism of Hegseth’s Nomination as Secretary of Defense
Hegseth’s nomination as Secretary of Defense in 2025 was met with widespread criticism from across the political spectrum. Margaret Hoover, a former advisor to Vets for Freedom, described Hegseth’s leadership of VFF as “very poorly” managed, questioning his competence to lead the Department of Defense. Adam Smith, a ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, expressed concern about Hegseth’s inexperience for such a critical role. Paul Rieckhoff, founder of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, labeled Hegseth “the least qualified nominee for SecDef in American history,” highlighting his overtly political and divisive nature. The ACLU also criticized Hegseth’s nomination, citing his “hateful stereotypes about Muslims” and “virulently anti-Muslim statements.” CAIR called for the Senate to reject his nomination, citing his “war-mongering” and “anti-Muslim views.” Jasper Craven in Politico warned that Hegseth’s appointment could lead to the undermining of military nonpartisanship and the prioritization of his anti-Muslim worldview within the Defense Department. Angelo Carusone of Media Matters for America raised concerns about Hegseth’s “crusader” worldview and his perception of a religious battle against Islam.
Despite these widespread concerns, Hegseth was confirmed as Secretary of Defense on January 24, 2025, through a tie-breaking vote cast by Vice President J.D. Vance after every Democratic senator and three Republican senators opposed his confirmation. As Secretary of Defense, Hegseth now oversees a vast department with millions of employees and a massive budget, raising significant questions about the influence of his controversial views and past actions on US defense policy.
Conclusion: White Nationalist Associations and the Secretary of Defense
Analyzing Pete Hegseth’s statements, actions, and associations reveals a pattern of behavior that aligns with elements of white nationalism. His use of the “Deus Vult” tattoo, while claimed to be a Christian symbol, is undeniably linked to white nationalist and far-right groups. His repeated amplification of Islamophobic rhetoric, promotion of the “great replacement theory,” and invocation of Crusader imagery all contribute to a worldview that echoes white nationalist themes of civilizational conflict and demographic replacement. While direct evidence of Hegseth self-identifying as a white nationalist is absent, the consistent alignment of his rhetoric with white nationalist talking points, coupled with serious allegations of misconduct and extremist views, raises profound concerns about his fitness for public office, particularly as Secretary of Defense. His confirmation despite these controversies underscores the growing influence of extremist ideologies within mainstream conservative politics and their potential impact on national security and civil liberties.
