First and simplest are the Greek letters chi (X) and rho (P) in a circle on Hegseth's upper arm.
Chi and rho are the first two letters in the Greek spelling of Jesus Christ's name, and the paired symbols have been used since
Roman times to represent Christianity.
Next, Hegseth has
a sword contained within a cross tattooed on the inside of his forearm. This is a reference to the Bible passage Matthew 10:34, which reads: "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword." Along the blade of the sword in Hegseth's tattoo, Hebrew letters spell "Yeshua," or Jesus.
Matthew 10 is a chapter in which Jesus Christ tells his disciples to spread the word of God, noting later on in that verse that
"whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me."
The two tattoos most frequently cited as problematic both connect to the Crusades, when European armies invaded the "Near East" with a goal of conquering Jerusalem from the Muslims and placing it under Catholic control. Christian nationalists and other far-right movements have long glorified the Crusades.