This should be the sticking point to invoke the 25th. Officials need to be loud and make a stink about how Trump can’t tell fact from clear fiction and therefore cannot perform the duties of the office. Make the people of America see the image on the news everyday and make those on his side say out loud if they think it’s fake or real. Half of the masses will never be convinced that he lacks the morality to lead until they’re already in his camps. This is the earliest clear as day moment to act on that which cannot be held to subjective scrutiny or partisanship.
Can someone explain these to me? They seem like Neo Nazi tattoos.
They are, he is an extremist Christian. These are all used as dog whistles by Neo Nazi.
https://www.npr.org/2024/11/14/nx-s1-5191413/peter-hegseths-tattoos-are-raising-some-eyebrows
“Ne desit virtus” is the slogan of the 187 infantry regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. It means “Let Valor Not Fail”. That image above that slogan is the unit patch.
We infantry dudes usually have tattoos like this, nothing “Nazi” or “Fascist” about it.
However, as an enlisted grunt, the infantry officers, like Major Hegseth, are a different breed.
Cool. Now explain “deus vult” and the Jerusalem Cross in the context of their modern usage in North America.
It’s Latin for “God wills it” lol used in the first crusades.
Hegseth is Christian. What do you expect? He himself said he’s a devoted Christian. Even attend Jimmy Carter’s funeral in a church with those same crosses.
I’m aware of the far right uses of the cross and some of the phrases.
Other than the book he wrote about the crusades, none of these posters have provided any proof that he’s a fascist Nazi.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deus_vult
It’s very suspicious. I wouldn’t say it’s incriminating evidence, but I would call it supporting if there were other fasc-y things about the individual.
Which there sure as fuck are.
But I dunno. The guy is either wearing a white-supremacist dog whistle, or he is super into the crusades (which famously went very well /s) which should disqualify him from leading the military either way.
I’m not a big Hegseth fan, I just want to make sure no one is talking shit about his army unit tattoo. Or misidentifying his army unit tat as a neo Nazi symbol. Cause there’s been a few of those already. I know that’s the least of everyone’s worries, and I can understand the accusations with the cross, cause every grunt I know has some kind of military tribute type tattoo.
People have died wearing that patch and shouldn’t be categorized as a “neo Nazi symbol”.
I know the cross has been the main focus, but like you said, he’s either a devout Christian history buff or he’s just a plain fascist.
Yeah, it’s totally just a coincidence that deus vult and joking about crusades has been a meme in white nationalist communities and /pol/ for decades.
Give me a fucking break. Do you carry water for all facists or just him?
He is a corporate hack from Fox News. This is literally the textbook definition of facism. As far as the Neo Nazi bit, I think the Iron Cross covers it for me.
It would, you’re too lazy to think for yourself.
Oh look guys, another Nazi apologist to block!
They seem that way because they are that way.
That’s US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and they are.
I’m not trying to defend the guy at all but those tattoos are not exclusively used by neo-nazis whatsoever and come from the Christian crusades originally. It’s the Jerusalem cross.
I will also say that that drusen cross has been used in some Neo-Nazi symbolism along the way so it’s not really a get out of jail free card either.
“It’s cool guys, this swastika on my chest is totally just a hindu symbol.”
“I’m just a history buff, even though I have literally shown zero indication that I give a shit about history in any other context”
There is no point in giving context here. The context is a lie. It’s literally the definition of a dog whistle.
Edit -
For the record, so nobody misses the point in all this back and forth - yes, someone might wear a jerusalem cross and not be a fascist.
But that’s not what’s happening here, is it? He’s a fascist. He wrote a book called American Crusade in which he called for ripping the arms off his enemies and feeding them to hogs.
Crusade imagery - to him - is violent. Even if it isn’t a symbol of hate to you, it is a symbol of hate to him.
The symbol has a real history but has also been hijacked by fascists. What evidence do I have for this? Plenty, down below! But what more do you need? He’s Exhibit A.
He has the preamble to the declaration of independence on his other arm lmao. I agree the guy’s most likely a neo Nazi but boy are your arguments dumb.
Lol oh yes, just like diehard 2A advocates. Anyone who references 3 words of the constitution or declaration is clearly a history buff.
Can’t be a nationalist with a 3rd-grade understanding of history. As we all know, only historians get a tattoo of “We the People” on their arm.
You don’t know what army patches and slogans are, but you think it’s a lie lol wow
Lol right, I forgot that once it becomes consumer merch it’s no longer fascism. Hence the “fuckup 2028” hat.
The history is real. The lie is that it’s about the history at all. It’s about the hatred. Same as it always is with these people. For comparison, see every last confederate flag in the United States.
Since none of you actually bother to learn anything here’s your spoon feeding session:
The Jerusalem Cross is a Christian symbol, also known as the Crusader’s Cross, consisting of a large central cross (a cross potent) surrounded by four smaller Greek crosses. It is often interpreted as representing the four Evangelists and the spread of the gospel, or the five wounds of Christ. The cross is closely associated with the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre. Here’s a more detailed look: Symbolism: Four Evangelists: . The four smaller Greek crosses are often associated with the four Evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). Spread of the Gospel: . The arrangement of the crosses can symbolize the spread of the gospel to the four corners of the earth. Five Wounds of Christ: . Some interpretations suggest the five crosses represent the five wounds of Jesus on the cross. Jerusalem: . The Jerusalem Cross is strongly linked to Jerusalem, particularly the Latin Patriarchate and the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre, which are dedicated to supporting Christianity in the Holy Land. History: Crusades: The Jerusalem Cross gained prominence during the Crusades, particularly with the founding of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Latin Patriarchate: It was adopted as the chief banner of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem and is now the emblem of the Latin Patriarchate. Order of the Holy Sepulchre: The cross is the official emblem of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre, a Catholic order dedicated to supporting Christianity in the Holy Land. Modern Usage: The Jerusalem Cross continues to be used by various Christian organizations and is also found on the national flag of Georgia and some other Christian contexts. In essence, the Jerusalem Cross is a rich symbol of faith, the Gospel, and the Holy Land, with historical ties to the Crusades and ongoing relevance within various Christian communities…
Oh sick! I too can put together a technically correct wall of text justifying a symbol ruined by fascism that has no initial fascist roots:
The Hindu swastika, known in Sanskrit as svastika (स्वस्तिक), is an ancient and sacred symbol that predates many modern religions and is deeply woven into the spiritual and cultural fabric of Hinduism. Etymologically, svastika is derived from the root “su” (meaning “good” or “well”) and “asti” (“to be”), together forming a word that can be interpreted as “that which is associated with well-being” or simply “auspicious.” The swastika has been used in the Indian subcontinent for over 5,000 years, with archaeological examples appearing as early as the Indus Valley Civilization (c. 2500 BCE), long before its appropriation in modern history.
In Hinduism, the swastika is a symbol of auspiciousness, prosperity, and good fortune. It represents the eternal nature of Brahman, the ultimate reality or universal soul in Hindu thought, and the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth (samsara). The symbol is deeply connected to cosmic order (ṛta) and balance. It is often drawn during rituals, festivals, and on temple entrances, doorways, and sacred objects to invoke divine blessings and protect against negative influences. It is also a common sight in Hindu weddings, religious ceremonies, and housewarmings, where it sanctifies the space and denotes sacred intent.
Understanding the Hindu swastika requires acknowledging it as one of the world’s oldest sacred symbols, one that has long represented cosmic harmony, divine presence, and the pursuit of spiritual well-being. To reduce it solely to its modern misappropriation is to obscure millennia of profound spiritual meaning, making it essential to distinguish and respect its original, deeply rooted cultural context.
Now let’s all go tattoo swastikas on our bodies; you go first!
You are comparing something that is widely prevalent in Nazism (a swastika, FAMOUS symbolism) to something that most people couldn’t identify with a gun to their head. Not the same context.
Weird, seems to me most people in this thread saw it and said “oh hey, isn’t that a Nazi symbol?” so I’ll have to agree to disagree on that one, coach.
Not to mention, the context here is also not being plastered on someone known for their devout Christianity or obsession with history or historic symbology.
Yet no one can explain or provide a shred of evidence supporting that.
Aw, cute wall of text. Thanks for providing nothing of value. Now do the swastika.
I know the context. It’s still a lie. People with that cross on their chest don’t give a shit about its actual history. Dog whistles involve barely plausible deniability, like the distant origins of nazi symbols.
Enjoy defending fascists though.
None of those tats are neo-nazi affiliated lmao
If you think that the army patch and the slogan “Ne desit virtus” are Nazi affiliated, you’re an idiot.
“We the People”? It’s in the preamble in the constitution.
And because he has Christian symbols, that makes him a fascist Nazi?
Wow. And you think maga is a cult.
Aw, cute. Pretending that he can hide behind patriotism.
It’s all nationalism. All of it. This fucker, his boss, and every single member of this administration are wiping their asses with the constitution, so don’t give us this bullshit.
You know which tattoos I’m talking about. You don’t get to say “oh, what? The "patriot” tattoos? Let me list them out! The “christian” tattoos? Let’s gloss over those!"
He doesn’t have a proper cross or a goddamn christian bone in his body. He wears the Jerusalem cross because he loves the crusades because he wants brutal genocidal war with muslims. He literally wrote a book calling for the “American Crusade”. That hasn’t been fucking Christian since the church collected tithes, crowned kings, and executed scientists.
He is a fascist, and he proudly wears symbols of hatred and violence on his skin.
Edit - btw, pay attention to what people respond to! Hellsfire chooses not to acknowledge anything about Hegseth writing a fucking book called the American Crusade. Just more “context”. There’s always more “context”
“It’s called the Jerusalem cross. It’s a historic Christian symbol. In fact, interestingly recently I attended briefly the memorial ceremony of former President Jimmy Carter, on the floor of our national cathedral, on the front page of his program was the very same Jerusalem Cross. It is a Christian religious symbol,” Hegseth said.
Yea, definitely a fascist Nazi. This is from an interview posted on PBS.org
I’m not defending fascism, I’m talking about symbolism and how it’s perverted and misconstrued. How about you supply evidence for YOUR argument instead of just pointing fingers and calling people names like a child?
Oh dear, I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings. Exactly what names did I call you?
Fascist? I didn’t call you that. I called him that. And he is, regardless of the cross on his chest. I know he is, on account of the everything.
You’re just the one defending him, by pretending that there’s a defensible reason for him to have a neo-nazi dog whistle on his chest. There isn’t. Just like there is no defensible reason for Musk to do two nazi salutes on stage.
They’re fascists blatantly doing fascist things, and pretending otherwise is defending fascism.
Just because a group of degenerates (neo-nazi’s) want to hijack a symbol, does not mean they get to do so.
I’m not defending him at all. I’m talking about a symbol that people don’t seem to know anything about other than some vague associate with nazism that no one can seem to actually provide evidence for.
Guy just comes over from reddit, uses reddit in his username, and proceeds to explain how the obviously nazi tattoos on the US Secretary of Defence are maybe not obviously nazi tattoos …
That’s because I READ AND LEARN ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THIS WORLD. Unlike most dumbasses that just read a headline and spew bullshit. I used reddit in my username to claim reddit is dead… so whatever the fuck that means. Go read a book.
If you read you’ve probably heard about a little something called “Occam’s razor”.
What’s the most probable answer, that a far right news host from a far right news channel is sporting his tattoos as a symbol of his love of history and the holy land, or that he’s sporting them because he’s a fucking nazi.
Nobody is denying your “history” of the symbol. We’re all well aware of the “larger story”. But it’s irrelevant because there’s an approximate 99.99999% probability that the guy who doesn’t understand the wider history of the cross is the guy that’s fucking wearing them.
You can write a thousand paragraphs “teaching people” all you want, but it’s totally irrelevant in this situation and you are only doing it in order to obfuscate the issue with meaningless nonsense.
I’m not intentionally obfuscating anything. I’m talking about the actual history of the symbols vs what people believe.
Read the room next time.
Read a book.
There is nothing wrong with categorizing symbols that are used for white supremacy and ethnic cleansing crusades as being “Nazi”.
You don’t need to be a German soldier in the 1930s to be a Nazi. These types of “technically” corrections are not helpful and just play into doubt for people that don’t understand history. Like yourself apparently.
Modern day Nazis aren’t tattooing swastikas. They’re running our businesses and our country.
I love how all you folks just ignore what I said and have to make some sort of point about it. All I’m talking about it where those symbols come from and they aren’t widely used as modern NEO NAZI (not Nazi) symbolism. I hope nothing but the worst for Nazi’s, NeoNazi’s, and Pete Hegseth. Fuck those people.
The reason I said what I said is that disinformation is and has been dividing us and pitting us all against each other for years. And facts matter. Understanding the history of something doesn’t make you good or evil. It’s just wisdom.
You are the one not understanding the history. You are adding doubt to symbols of white supremacy. You are pointing to the Christian equivalent of an ISIS flag and telling us it’s not “neo Nazi”.
No. You are putting words in my mouth. I didn’t say it wasn’t neo nazi at all, I said it wasn’t EXCLUSIVELY a nazi/neo-nazi symbol. Which is a fact.
You are dealing with fascist and saying exactly what fascist would say to deny their symbols of white supremacy.
It’s like pointing out that the swastika is a Hindu symbol when you see one tattooed on a fucking skin head Nazi punk. What point are you trying to make in that context?
Do you get how it’s fucking useless to do this? And only plays into the fascist narrative of doubt? You’re being helpful only to fascist.
if facts mattered we wouldnt be in this whole situation to begin with.
And a swastika represents “good fortune” and “well-being” in Hindu and other Indian cultures, concepts I would support, but I still wouldn’t get it tattooed on my body because of it’s other meanings.
If this guy is ignorant of the more recent meanings, that is just as troubling as if he knew their modern interpretations. If someone had elaborate Nazi imagery all over their body, and they were truly ignorant of the meanings, I would not think that they possessed the intelligence and judgement to supervise any people or projects.
Whether he knew about it or not, it’s a problem, and this guy is in charge of the Pentagon.
okay then, let’s stop short and say they’re neo nazi dog whistles then
Maybe he just really likes ‘crusader kings V’?
that is both possible, and doesn’t invalidate that it’s also a nazi dog whistle
that’s what ya get for using dog whistles constantly
They’re not necessarily all “Neo-Nazi,” but they’re definitely Neo-Nazi adjacent.