How Pete Hegseth's Crusades Obsession Shapes US Defense Policy and Iran War Strategy

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has long harbored a deep fascination with the Crusades—a series of medieval conflicts spanning the late 11th to 13th centuries, where Europeans waged war to control the Holy Land. His fixation on this era extends beyond academic interest: Hegseth has tattoos referencing the Crusades, a detail that surfaced during his 2025 confirmation hearing. His 2020 book, American Crusade, further underscores this preoccupation, with its final chapter titled “Make the Crusade Great Again.”

Hegseth’s Crusades Narrative and Its Historical Accuracy

Hegseth frames the Crusades as a “defensive war”, arguing that Christianity had no choice but to respond to an existential threat posed by Islam. However, Matthew Gabriele, a professor of medieval history, dismisses this characterization as an extreme oversimplification of the era’s complexities. Gabriele warns that such a reductive view of history could have dangerous implications for contemporary geopolitics, particularly in the context of the ongoing conflict in Iran.

The Risks of Historical Misinterpretation in Modern Policy

While Hegseth’s Crusades obsession may initially appear as a personal quirk—akin to an eccentric relative fixated on World War II submarines—its relevance escalates when it influences the worldview of a defense secretary. Such a perspective doesn’t merely reside in the past; it actively shapes decisions that impact the future, including US foreign policy and the trajectory of conflicts like the war in Iran.

Nate Krieger, a producer for Vox, delved into this “Holy War” to dissect the actual history of the Crusades and examine how Hegseth’s medieval historical lens might seep into modern strategic thinking.

Further Reading and Resources

• Joshua Keating’s Vox article: Explores Hegseth’s role within Donald Trump’s foreign policy team.
• The Bright Ages: A New History of Medieval Europe by Matthew Gabriele and David M. Perry: Offers a nuanced reexamination of medieval Europe.
• Black Metaphors: How Modern Racism Emerged From Medieval Race-Thinking by Cord J. Whitaker: Traces the historical roots of racial ideologies.
• ADL’s Encyclopedia of Hate Symbols: Documents symbols tied to medieval history or the Crusades that have been designated as hate symbols.