John Bolton: ‘I will not be shaving my mustache’

Former United Nations Ambassador John Bolton says he will not shave his distinctive white mustache after reports it may have been a reason he wasn’t picked for secretary of State.

I appreciate the grooming advice from the totally unbiased mainstream media, but I will not be shaving my #mustache.

— John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton) December 22, 2016

Bolton’s tweet comes after a report Wednesday that President-elect Donald Trump is taking appearances into consideration in putting together his administration. Trump reportedly disliked Bolton’s facial hair and it played a part in him not getting a Cabinet nomination.

{mosads}Trump’s aides have accepted he may rule out candidates who do not satisfy his image of what a particular nominee for a role should look like, according to The Washington Post.

“That’s the language he speaks,” said a source familiar with the Trump transition team’s internal deliberations. “He’s very aesthetic. You can come with somebody who is very much qualified for the job, but if they don’t look the part, they’re not going anywhere.”

The Post said Trump’s flair for branding and image has partially influenced several of his Cabinet selections.

“Donald was not going to like that mustache,” an anonymous Trump associate told the Post about Bolton’s facial hair. “I can’t think of anyone that’s really close to Donald that has a beard that he likes.”

Trump was reportedly drawn to two other options for State due to their commanding physical appearances.

The president-elect settled on Exxon Mobile Corp. CEO Rex Tillerson over 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney despite admiring both men’s “central casting” quality, sources told the Post.

A Trump transition spokesman, meanwhile, confirmed the president-elect does factor how officials will represent his administration in public into his appointments.

“Presentation is very important because you’re representing America not only on the national stage, but also the international stage depending on the position,” Jason Miller said.