{"id":2369758,"date":"2024-11-16T11:35:02","date_gmt":"2024-11-16T16:35:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-jerusalem-cross-pete-hegseths-tattoo-and-the-hysteria-about-christian-history-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-11-16T11:37:41","modified_gmt":"2024-11-16T16:37:41","slug":"the-jerusalem-cross-pete-hegseths-tattoo-and-the-hysteria-about-christian-history-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-jerusalem-cross-pete-hegseths-tattoo-and-the-hysteria-about-christian-history-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"The Jerusalem Cross: Pete Hegseth\u2019s tattoo and the hysteria about Christian history &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">30<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fthe-jerusalem-cross-pete-hegseths-tattoo-and-the-hysteria-about-christian-history-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2369758&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The\u2062 article discusses\u2062 the controversy surrounding Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump\u2019s nominee for the Department of \u200bDefense, who has faced\u200b accusations that his tattoos\u2014specifically a Jerusalem Cross \u2062and the\u2062 Latin phrase &#8220;Deus Vult&#8221;\u2014are associated with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/attack-ad-from-left-wing-activists-allowed-to-trend-on-twitter-inciting-violence-against-conservatives-the-liberty-loft\/\" title=\"Attack Ad From Left-Wing Activists Allowed to Trend On Twitter Inciting Violence Against Conservatives\">white supremacy<\/a>. \u200bHegseth\u2064 has refuted \u200bthese claims, describing the objections as manifestations \u200bof &#8220;anti-Christian\u2063 bigotry.&#8221; \u2063The Jerusalem Cross is a\u2062 historical Christian symbol tied\u2063 to the Crusades and widely recognized among various Christian denominations. Meanwhile, &#8220;Deus Vult,&#8221; meaning &#8220;God\u2063 wills \u200cit,&#8221; has its\u200c origins \u200din the same period and was used as a battle cry by crusaders. The article emphasizes that \u200cboth \u200dtattoos are not uncommon among Christians and symbolizes significant religious and historical meaning, sparking a debate on \u200dhow <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">medieval history influences contemporary political narratives<\/a>.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">The Jerusalem Cross: Pete Hegseth&rsquo;s tattoo and the hysteria about Christian history<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1882921\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>President-elect <a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Donald Trump<\/a>&lsquo;s nominee to head the Department of Defense, <a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/pete-hegseth\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Pete Hegseth<\/a>, is facing a wave of accusations that he bears tattoos associated with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/house-democrat-files-bill-to-prosecute-conspiracy-to-commit-white-supremacy\/\" title=\"House Democrat Files Bill To Prosecute \u2018Conspiracy To Commit White Supremacy\u2019\">white supremacy ideology<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Hegseth has pushed back against the accusations, calling objections to his tattoos &mdash; a Jerusalem Cross and the Latin phrase &ldquo;Deus Vult&rdquo; &mdash; manifestations of &ldquo;anti-<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Christianity\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Christian<\/a> bigotry.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Here are some things to know about the ancient Christian symbol, Hegseth&rsquo;s tattoos, and why medieval history is playing such a large role in 21st-century politics.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3223892\/president-elect-donald-trump-cabinet-picks-list\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><strong>TRUMP CABINET PICKS: WHO&rsquo;S BEEN TAPPED TO SERVE IN THE PRESIDENT-ELECT&rsquo;S ADMINISTRATION<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Jerusalem Cross<\/h2>\n<p>The Jerusalem Cross consists of a Greek cross with four smaller crosses nested within it. It&rsquo;s a common religious emblem dating back to the crusades, embraced by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Catholic-Church\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Catholic Church<\/a> and other Christian denominations as a historic symbol of religious faith and service.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fox anchor Pete Hegseth at Fox News Channel Studios on August 09, 2019, in New York City. (John Lamparski\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Jerusalem Cross originated as the symbol of the Kingdom of Jerusalem and was established in 1099 by King Godfrey of Bouillon, who carried it as his personal coat of arms. Since then, it has become a widely celebrated symbol of Catholics&rsquo; presence in the Holy Land and is depicted on altars, vestments, church edifices, and more.<\/p>\n<p>The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, the highest Catholic authority in the Holy Land, uses the Jerusalem cross prominently as an emblem of his office.<\/p>\n<p>It can be found at Christian holy sites in modern-day <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Israel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Israel<\/a> and Gaza and is worn on necklaces by residents and pilgrims. Rosaries, Bibles, clothing, and other objects bearing the mark can be purchased from local merchants across the country.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3220465\/what-trump-promised-day-one-white-house\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><strong>WHAT TRUMP HAS PROMISED TO DO ON DAY 1 IN THE OVAL OFFICE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Jerusalem cross flag is seen flying alongside two flags of Vatican City as a Palestinian woman walks next to the Kidron Valley near the Old City of Jerusalem. (AP Photo\/Dan Balilty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>And Hegseth&rsquo;s tattoo is not unique &mdash; the Jerusalem cross is a common motif for Christians seeking religiously significant ink. <\/p>\n<p>Many Christians who visit Jerusalem get the cross tattooed on their bodies during their pilgrimage, including world leaders. Multiple male members of the British <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/royals\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">royal family<\/a> have received Jerusalem cross tattoos while visiting the Holy Land, beginning with the future King Edward VII in 1862.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">&ldquo;Deus Vult&rdquo;<\/h2>\n<p>Hegseth&rsquo;s other tattoo that has sparked accusations of white supremacist associations is the Latin phrase &ldquo;Deus Vult,&rdquo; meaning &ldquo;God wills it.&rdquo; This phrase shares similar origins with the Jerusalem Cross, serving as the motto for the crusading Catholic knights fighting to reclaim the Holy Land in the 11th century.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An ecclesiastic holds the Crown of Thorns relic during a ceremony in St Germain l&rsquo;Auxerrois church, in Paris, Friday, Sept. 6, 2019. A knight of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, dressed in a robe and medal depicting the Jerusalem cross, holds a ceremonial lamp next to the priest.(AP Photo\/Christophe Ena)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Hegseth&rsquo;s tattoo of the phrase was deemed so controversial by the Department of Defense in 2021 that Hegseth was pulled from National Guard duty ahead of President Joe Biden&rsquo;s inauguration, according to emails <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-defense-department-pentagon-hegseth-fox-news-8cd9f065e54a7cbbaceeec8bae9261a6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">leaked<\/a> to the <em>Associated Press<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3220444\/voters-send-history-making-candidates-congress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><strong>VOTERS SEND HISTORY-MAKING CANDIDATES TO CONGRESS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The Jerusalem Cross and &ldquo;Deus Vult&rdquo; motto are frequently used together by religious organizations descended from the crusader orders of knighthood or people seeking to ape the crusaders&rsquo; aesthetic.<\/p>\n<p>Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, the centuries-old papal order of knighthood that traces its roots back to the Kingdom of Jerusalem, uses the Jerusalem cross as its crest and &ldquo;Deus Vult&rdquo; as its official motto. Modern Catholics knighted into the Order of the Holy Sepulchre include members of the clergy, high-profile laity, and even European monarchs.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A supporter of the Coalition for Change holds a Georgian flag at coalition&rsquo;s headquarters after polls closing at the parliamentary election in Tbilisi, Georgia, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo\/Zurab Tsertsvadze)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In the modern day, the Jerusalem Cross and &ldquo;Deus Vult&rdquo; motto have transcended the Catholic Church in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Middle-East\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Middle East<\/a> and become global signifiers of Christian evangelization, identity, and history.<\/p>\n<p>It has even been used as a secular civic symbol &mdash; such as the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/russia-recalls-ambassador-after-sanctions-meddling-claims\/\" title=\"Russia recalls ambassador after sanctions, meddling claims\">national flag<\/a> of Georgia, which consists entirely of a red Jerusalem cross on a white background.<\/p>\n<p>The accusations of Hegseth harboring hateful views were sharpened on Friday when the <em>Associated Press<\/em> published an article outlining previous complaints about his religious tattoos and accusing the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pete-hegseth-draws-attention-over-edward-gallagher-controversy-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Pete Hegseth draws attention over Edward Gallagher controversy - Washington Examiner\">defense secretary nominee<\/a> of failing to take extremism in the military seriously.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Jerusalem cross is seen in a coat-of-arms painted on the wall of the Church of the Nativity in the West Bank. (Timothy Nerozzi\/Washington Examiner)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;They&rsquo;re attacking Pete Hegseth for having a Christian motto tattooed on his arm,&rdquo; Vice President-elect J.D. Vance wrote on social media following the article&rsquo;s publication. &ldquo;This is disgusting anti-Christian bigotry from the AP, and the entire organization should be ashamed of itself.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Anti-Christian bigotry in the media on full display,&rdquo; Hegseth <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3232222\/trump-defense-pete-hegseth-white-supremacist-accusations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">responded<\/a> to Vance. &ldquo;They can target me &mdash; I don&rsquo;t give a damn &mdash; but this type of targeting of Christians, conservatives, patriots and everyday Americans will stop on DAY ONE at [Donald Trump&rsquo;s] DoD.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1882921\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1882921\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pete Hegseth, Trump&#8217;s Defense nominee, faces backlash over tattoos<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3468,"featured_media":2369759,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/AP19249564195050.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[42427,45141,44930,45142,32076],"class_list":["post-2369758","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-christian-history","tag-jerusalem-cross","tag-pete-hegseth","tag-tattoo-controversy","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/AP19249564195050.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2369758","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3468"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2369758"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2369758\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2369762,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2369758\/revisions\/2369762"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2369759"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2369758"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2369758"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2369758"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}