Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has launched a campaign against facial hair in the US military, banning beards, long hair, and what he calls 'superficial individual expression.' In a September speech at Quantico, Virginia, Hegseth declared, 'No more beards, long hair, superficial individual expression. We're going to cut our hair, shave our beards and adhere to standards. No more beardos.' He also criticized 'fat troops,' calling it 'tiring' to look at them.
The Origin of Hegseth's Beard Obsession
Hegseth's fixation may trace back to 2018, when he was a Fox News host. After returning from summer holidays with a beard, he faced viewer backlash. A woman named Patti urged him to remove the 'fur,' while another viewer, Mary, lamented that 'all American cute' Pete now looked 'awful.' Online jokes compared him to a duck hunter. The humiliation peaked when his co-hosts had a barber shave his beard live on daytime TV. A fan named Michael commiserated, 'A man without a beard is like a lion without a mane,' to which Hegseth wailed, 'That's how I feel!'
Reaction to the Beard Ban
Despite Hegseth's orders, many service members have not complied. According to a CNN report, Hegseth had a meltdown after boarding a navy ship and noticing multiple sailors with beards. The report states, 'Hegseth left the ship wondering if the Pentagon rank-and-file paid attention to his beard policy and other policy changes he has made to the workforce.'
Trump's Aesthetic Influence
Hegseth's campaign aligns with Donald Trump's broader aestheticisation of politics. Trump is known for his focus on appearance, from 'Mar-a-Lago face'—where MAGA elites undergo cosmetic procedures to look identical—to specific dress codes. Trump once rejected Nikki Haley for secretary of state due to her complexion, saying, 'She's got that complexion problem. It doesn't look good,' as reported in the 2022 book The Divider by Peter Baker and Susan Glasser. Trump also demands female staff 'dress like women' and has sent ill-fitting shoes to aides like Marco Rubio.
The Political Context
As Walter Benjamin wrote, 'The logical outcome of fascism is an aestheticisation of political life.' From MAGA hats to the White House ballroom, Trump has turned politics into a branded spectacle. Hegseth, more comfortable in TV studios than situation rooms, is following this path. While he may be too incompetent to end the Iran war, his crusade against stubble continues unabated.
