Officials say Trump was hesitant about hiring Bolton because of his mustache

President Trump’s decision to name John Bolton as his new national security adviser was made despite his distaste for Bolton’s mustache, according to multiple reports.

Trump’s dislike for Bolton’s mustache is well known. 

Aides told The Washington Post in 2016 that Bolton’s facial hair was one of several reasons Trump didn’t pick him as his secretary of State. And The New York Times’s Maggie Haberman reported Thursday that Trump spent a significant amount of time deriding Bolton for the mustache. 

Trump spent more time deriding Bolton’s mustache in the transition than focusing on why he didn’t want him as nsa. Kelly was said by multiple sources to have played role in souring Trump on Kelly – Kelly had a bigger problem with him than Trump did.

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) March 22, 2018

Bolton joked after the initial reports that he “appreciated the grooming advice” but said he would not be shaving his mustache. 

But before Trump appointed Bolton to take the place of outgoing national security adviser H.R. McMaster on Thursday, the signature facial hair gave the president pause, according to The New York Times.

A White House aide told CNN on Thursday that Trump was able to look past the facial hair in order to name Bolton as McMaster’s replacement.

{mosads}

Bolton will be Trump’s third national security adviser, replacing McMaster, a three-star Army general who never clicked with the president behind the scenes.