Hegseth, who is tattooed with crusader symbols, depicts Islam as a natural, historic enemy of the west. He presents distorted versions of Muslim doctrine, and treats leftists and Muslims as bound together in their efforts to subvert the US.
Experts say Hegseth's view of Islam is riven with falsehoods, misconceptions and far-right conspiracy theories. Yet, if his nomination is successful, he will head the world's largest military force at a time of conflict and instability in the Middle East.
The Guardian emailed Hegseth and the Trump transition team for comment and received no response.
In his 2020 book American Crusade, Hegseth calls for the targeting of both internal or "domestic enemies" and the enemies of Israel.
Presenting the medieval crusades as a model for Christian-Muslim relations, he writes: "Christianity in the Mediterranean region, including the holy sites in Jerusalem, was so besieged by Islam that Christians had a stark choice: to wage defensive war or continue to allow Islam's expansion and face existential war at home in Europe".
This story is from the November 29, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the November 29, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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