Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is facing fresh scrutiny after eagle-eyed observers spotted a never-before-seen tattoo on his right bicep that some are interpreting as Islamophobic. 

The tattoo, which was visible in a picture shared by the defense secretary on X on Tuesday, is of the Arabic word “Kafir,” meaning “infidel” or “nonbeliever.” The tattoo was spotted among a collection of images that showed the military veteran running drills with Navy Seals at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii. “Proud to spend time with America’s best,” he captioned the post. 

The tattoo was quickly denounced by the Muslim community, which viewed it as hostile to Islam. The Council on American-Islamic Relations, which translated “kafir” as “a person who knowingly conceals or denies fundamental, divine truths,” lambasted the tattoo as “a sign of both anti-Muslim hostility and personal insecurity.”

Journalist Tam Hussein offered a similar sentiment, claiming that the tattoo was “not a good look” for Mr. Hegseth. He warned in a post on X that members of the Muslim community will view the tattoo as “an open declaration of Hegseth’s enmity towards them.”

Others, like a right-wing news account on X, @InevitableWest, welcomed the tattoo as an indication that “Christian-nationalism is back.” The account added: “Islamists don’t know what’s coming…” The post has received 44,000 likes and counting. 

The placement of the tattoo may offer additional significance given that it is featured on his right bicep just below a tattoo of the Latin phrase “Deus Vult,” which means “God wills it.” That saying was first chanted by Christians during the First Crusade in the 11th century. 

This isn’t the first time that Mr. Hegseth’s body art has drummed up controversy. Perhaps his most scrutinized tattoo is the Jerusalem Cross on his chest, a symbol that has been featured on banners at white supremacist rallies. Mr. Hegseth claims that concerns over the tattoo prompted him to be pulled from guarding President Biden’s inauguration but maintains that the tattoo represents his devout Christian faith. 

The secretary of defense has numerous other tattoos across his body, many of which relate to Christianity or American patriotism. It is unclear whether the “Kafir” tattoo is new or whether it has just never been pictured.