Pete Hegseth's chest tattoo, a Jerusalem cross, sparked controversy on social media with some calling it Nazi Swastika. The tattoo previously caused Hegseth to be deemed an extremist and barred from guarding President Biden's inauguration.

Hegseth has laid down markers on his agenda for running the Pentagon: firing generals who promote “woke” military policies, eliminating combat roles for women and loosening reins on troops conduct in combat.