Stephen Colbert Once Roasted Don Jr. and Eric Trump Over Dad Donald Trump’s Biggest Pet Peeve

Late-night host, Stephen Colbert, once targeted Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump , making fun of their beards by citing their father’s apparent distaste for facial hair. The jab came during a discussion on potential vice presidential candidates for Donald Trump’s 2024 candidacy. Colbert mentioned a CNN report claiming that Ohio Senator J.D. Vance’s beard could hinder his chances of being Trump’s running mate. At the time, journalist, Mark Caputo, had argued, “There’s some buzz in Trump’s orbit like, ‘Look, if J.D. Vance doesn’t get it, it’s because of the beard.'”

Caputo’s suggestion amused Colbert. He quipped, “Wow! Trump doesn’t like beards? I mean why on Earth would he hate…” At that moment, the screen displayed images of Eric and Don Jr. sporting full beards. Colbert then deadpanned, “Okay, yeah. Makes sense.” The former president’s aversion to facial hair has been a topic of discussion for years. In fact, it might have cost some potential cabinet members their jobs during Trump’s first term. John Bolton, who later became National Security Advisor, nearly missed out on a different position owing to his distinctive mustache. Bolton subsequently reported a meeting with Trump about it. “Look, this mustache thing, well, my father had a mustache,” he said according to Vanity Fair .

Trump’s beard bias also extends to his own family. On Father’s Day, in 2020, he reportedly told Donald Jr. to shave off his “COVID-19 quarantine beard,” comparing it unfavorably to those of Ted Cruz and Rand Paul. For J.D. Vance, the beard issue is more complex than it might seem. At 40, he would be one of the youngest vice presidents in history if the party wins in November.

A Trump adviser noted, “Vance looks like he is 12” without facial hair. Vance’s beard is relatively new, debuting when he launched his Senate campaign in 2022. It may be part of a calculated image shift. After gaining fame as the clean-shaven author of Hillbilly Elegy , the beard symbolized his new political persona, as per Politico .

Political consultant, Rob Stutzman, however, sees the stigma against beards in politics to be fading. “Maybe a heavy-kept beard or a long beard would still be regarded as odd if you’re a candidate,” he opined. But well-groomed facial hair is becoming more acceptable. A 2015 study by researchers at Oklahoma State University found that candidates with beards were seen as more masculine and competent. However, they were also perceived as less supportive of feminist issues and received less support from women voters. Brad Todd, another Republican consultant, believes the beard question is generational. “There is not a single millennial out there who would find the question of whether a politician has facial hair to be relevant,” he said. As more millennials enter politics, beards may become more common and accepted.