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Hegseth Crusade Language Revives Controversy Over “Holy War” Rhetoric

By Drooid · Sep 15, 2026, 12:20 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth called modern conflicts a crusade in his 2020 book.
Pope Urban II urged a 1095 Holy War to reclaim Jerusalem.
Crusaders massacred thousands of Jews during the 1096 Rhineland Massacres.
President George W. Bush described the 2001 War on Terror as a “crusade,” sparking controversy.
Osama bin Laden invoked crusade language and Saladin’s image to portray the U.S. as Islam’s enemy.

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Story summary

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth called modern conflicts a crusade in his 2020 book.
Pope Urban II urged a 1095 Holy War to reclaim Jerusalem.
Crusaders massacred thousands of Jews during the 1096 Rhineland Massacres.
President George W. Bush described the 2001 War on Terror as a “crusade,” sparking controversy.
Osama bin Laden invoked crusade language and Saladin’s image to portray the U.S. as Islam’s enemy.