Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has launched a campaign to eliminate beards and long hair in the US military, declaring in a September speech at Quantico, Virginia: '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 complained about 'fat troops,' calling it 'tiring' to look at them.
Hegseth's Personal Beard Trauma
The fixation may stem from a 2018 incident when Hegseth, then a Fox News host, returned from holiday with a beard. Viewers complained, with one woman urging him to remove the 'fur.' His co-hosts mocked him, and a barber shaved it off live on TV. A fan commiserated, 'A man without a beard is like a lion without a mane,' to which Hegseth wailed in agreement. This humiliation, according to columnist Arwa Mahdawi, left an indelible mark, driving his obsession with banning facial hair among subordinates.
Military Resistance and Trump's Aesthetic
Despite the policy, a CNN report revealed that Hegseth had a meltdown after boarding a navy ship and seeing multiple sailors with beards, questioning if they paid attention to his orders. The policy aligns with Donald Trump's broader aesthetic demands. Trump reportedly rejected Nikki Haley for secretary of state due to her 'complexion problem' and insists female staff 'dress like women.' He has sent ill-fitting shoes to aides like Marco Rubio, who wore them anyway.
Aestheticisation of Politics
Mahdawi argues this reflects a fascist aestheticisation of political life, as theorised by Walter Benjamin. From MAGA hats to identical Mar-a-Lago faces, Trump turns politics into a branded spectacle. Hegseth, more comfortable in TV studios than situation rooms, pursues his crusade against stubble despite incompetence in other areas.
