Donald Trump seems to have finally “gotten over” his dislike of beards with his choice of VP candidate.

That’s according to Bearded Liberation Front (BLF) founder Keith Fletch, who said the Republican nominee and former President has a well-known distaste towards facial hair.

Going against the grain, he has now chosen Ohio senator JD Vance as his VP pick, who has become the first person with a beard to be on a US presidential ticket since 1892.

On Moncrieff today, Mr Fletch said beards are not a common feature of high-level politicians worldwide.

“In the UK, the last bearded prime minister goes back to 1902,” he said.

“There has been this culture in politics of clean-shaven men, sometimes men with no hair on top of their heads as well.

“Certainly, hair of any kind doesn't seem to have been terribly popular amongst senior politicians in many cases for a very long time indeed.”

Stereotype

Fletch said there’s a stereotype associated with bearded men.

“People think that people with beards are hiding something under their beard and are therefore untrustworthy,” he said.

“People think that they've got the remains of their breakfast in their beard or something like that, and maybe they have in a few cases.

“I also think there has been an association of a certain lifestyle with beards, whereas now these are all stereotypes.”

Trump's pick

He said JD Vance has been growing his beard for “three or four years now”.

“It’s difficult because Trump has a long record of not liking beards, though his son has had one for quite a while now,” he said.

“If Trump were to have a beard, it would be grey if he grew it naturally, so that wouldn’t look good with his orange hair, so he’d have to dye the beard orange too.”

Donald Trump jr. Image: Sipa USA / Alamy Stock Photo

Mr Fletch said UK politicians have also had misgivings about facial hair.

“Blair was not keen on beards and never had one, but he did have bearded people in his cabinet,” he said.

“He had Robin Cook, Frank Dobson, and David Blunkett, so he was a little bit more ‘live and let live’ about it.

“When it comes to the current PM, Keir Starmer is a great fan of hairdressers, and his hair is a work of art.

“But he’s never had a beard, despite the fact his father was a long-time beard wearer.”

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Main image: JD Vance and Donald Trump. Image: Associated Press / Alamy Stock Photo