Washington DC - President-elect Donald Trump's pick for defense secretary, Fox News host Pete Hegseth, is facing scrutiny over multiple tattoos with

Hegseth, who served in the Army National Guard, was flagged as a potential "Insider Threat" during his time in service due to a tattoo associated with white supremacy, per the Associated Press.

A fellow National Guard member reportedly emailed his unit's leadership, pointing Hegseth's Jerusalem cross chest tattoo is common in extremist groups.

The ink on the veteran's arm, which reads "Deus Vult," is also under the spotlight.

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The term "Deus Vult" is a Latin phrase which roughly translates to "God Wills It" and is thought to have originated as a battle cry during the First Crusade of 1096.

"MAJ Hegseth has a tattoo of 'Deus Vult' on his inner arm," the email obtained by the AP says. "The phrase 'Deus Vult' is associated with Supremacist groups... to invoke the myth of a white Christian medieval past."

"'Deus Vult' has enjoyed popularity with members of the alt-right because of its perceived representation of the clash of civilizations between the Christian West and the Islamic world."

Former White House Homeland Security and counterterrorism advisor Olivia Troye claimed on X that Hegseth was banned from national guard duty at President Joe Biden's inauguration in January 2021 due to his tattoos.

Vice President-elect JD Vance, meanwhile, quickly jumped to Hegseth's defense, claiming on X that the AP was "attacking Pete Hegset for having a Christian motto tattooed on his arm."

The controversy added to Hegseth growing headaches, with newly revealed sexual assault accusations putting his nomination in serious doubt.