Pete Hegseth, nominated by US President-elect Donald Trump as Secretary of Defence, faces scrutiny over allegations of extremism linked to a tattoo reading “Deus Vult.” National Guard member DeRicko Gaither flagged the tattoo to leadership, citing its associations with white supremacist groups. Experts warn the phrase, once a Crusader rallying cry, is now linked to far-right extremism.Hegseth claimed he was unfairly labelled an extremist and criticised the military’s efforts to tackle extremism, describing the issue as “manufactured.” He has also been accused of minimising the involvement of military personnel in the Capitol riots. Meanwhile, Trump’s transition team is reassessing Hegseth’s nomination following allegations of sexual misconduct from 2017. The team, reportedly blindsided by the accusations, is under fire for outsourcing vetting to a private company, bypassing FBI background checks. Hegseth denies wrongdoing and has not faced criminal charges. The controversy has sparked broader concerns over vetting processes and extremism within the US military.
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