While US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth considers himself a Christian patriot, critics view him as a far-right agitator. For Donald Trump, the former soldier and television commentator is, above all, a loyal 'Secretary of War'. His blunt rhetoric and attempts to skirt military rules have raised serious concerns about adherence to international law, drawing global attention.
In early March, during a press conference on the war with Iran, Hegseth described the rules of engagement for US soldiers as 'stupid', casting doubt on fundamental principles intended to prevent war crimes. In mid-March, he went further, declaring 'no quarter, no mercy for our enemies' in Iran, which in military terms means killing even those who have surrendered, explains Jacqueline Hellmann, an international law expert at Complutense University of Madrid. She stated that this alludes to a practice expressly prohibited and could be classified as a war crime if formulated as an order and resulting in corresponding actions by the armed forces.
Hegseth's links to war crimes are not new. During US attacks on suspected smuggling boats from Venezuela, he allegedly ordered that no one be allowed to survive, though Hegseth has denied these claims. Before becoming defense secretary, he seemed at odds with the Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. In a 2024 interview with podcast host Shawn Ryan, Hegseth defended three former US soldiers convicted of war crimes and pardoned by Trump in 2019, calling rules 'impossible' and 'written to put our guys in handcuffs'.
Hegseth's personal background and beliefs offer insight into his worldview. His chest bears a tattoo of the Jerusalem Cross, first documented as a symbol of the Crusaders, and his bicep has the Latin inscription 'Deus Vult' (God wills it), a battle cry of the Crusaders also popular in far-right circles. He belongs to the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC), a movement whose leader seeks to turn the US into a Christian theocracy. In 2024, he left the National Guard Reserve at his own request after comrades reported him as a possible extremist due to social media posts and tattoos.
When Trump intended to appoint Hegseth as defense secretary, resistance emerged within the Republican Party, with many preferring a seasoned defense policy expert. However, Trump emphasized that 'Pete is tough, smart and a true believer in 'America First'', suggesting loyalty mattered more than qualifications. During Senate confirmation hearings, Hegseth faced criticism over his views on women in combat and diversity in the military, as well as character doubts, including a dropped rape allegation from 2017 and claims of a drinking problem. The Senate vote ended in a tie, but Hegseth still became defense secretary due to Vice President JD Vance's tie-breaking vote.
Since then, Hegseth has continued pursuing plans to eliminate diversity from the US armed forces, with observers noting the dismissal and demotion of several long-serving generals as part of this effort. In March 2025, he came under fire for leaking classified information, apparently inadvertently disclosed in chats with journalists. In September 2025, he caused a stir by summoning hundreds of US generals, some on active missions worldwide, to a meeting with Trump at Naval Base Quantico, Virginia, to rally them to his course of action, which he describes as 'restoring the warrior ethos'.
Source: www.dw.com