Defense Secretary Hegseth Orders Faster Enforcement of Beard Policy After Ship Visit

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed Pentagon officials to accelerate enforcement of a 2025 memo restricting beards after he observed multiple sailors with facial hair during a June 2026 visit to a Navy ship, CNN reported. -Iran war risked reigniting, and Hegseth questioned whether rank-and-file personnel were following the stricter grooming standards he had issued the previous year.

Pentagon officials held meetings shortly afterward to inform subordinates that Hegseth was monitoring progress on the beard policy and other workplace changes, with political appointees pressing for quicker implementation.

A June 2026 email from a civilian personnel policy official stated that the secretary was paying close attention to Equal Employment Opportunity reforms and that timelines needed revision. Hegseth issued the September 2025 memo that tightened restrictions on beards and medical exemptions, reversing earlier accommodations. In a speech to hundreds of senior officers he said, "No more beardos.

The policy allows commanders to separate personnel who require shaving waivers after one year of treatment for pseudofolliculitis barbae. Hegseth visited the USS Carl Vinson in San Diego in June 2026 and the USS Boxer in Singapore in May 2026, according to the Pentagon.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said Hegseth maintains high expectations for appearance, fitness and discipline, and that commanders will be held accountable for results.

The secretary has also altered EEO procedures to require timely handling of complaints and a presumption of innocence for the subject unless evidence proves otherwise. A recent questionnaire to Pentagon employees asked about the number of dismissed complaints.