- President Trump spoke about his plans for the US military on his first day back in office.
- He promised to reinstate and back pay service members fired for refusing COVID-19 vaccines.
- He also wants to use the military in mass deportation operations and has referred to culture war issues.
President Donald Trump outlined several key US military policies on his first day back in office.
Many of his promises, such as reinstating service members who were fired for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine and engaging in controversial culture war issues at the Pentagon, are tied to the commander-in-chief’s goal of a major overhaul of the US Armed Forces.
Trump was officially sworn into office on Monday and began signing a series of executive orders, including reversing former President Joe Biden’s policies on oil and gas drilling in Alaska, keeping TikTok open until it finds a potential buyer and announcing of national energy and immigration emergencies. on the US-Mexico border.
He also signed an executive order designating Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations and suggested he might send US Special Forces into Mexico to root them out. “It could happen,” he said. “Strange things have happened”.
During his inaugural address, Trump presented his vision for the US military to attendees, including former presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.
Trump promised major changes to the US military during his inaugural address. Matt Rourke/AP
“America will soon be bigger, stronger and far more extraordinary than ever before,” he said. “We will measure our success not only by the battles we win, but also by the wars we end, and perhaps most importantly, the wars we never enter,” Trump said.
The statement echoes comments made by the President on the campaign trail and after the election, as well as those made by his nominee for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, who pledged to restore the “warrior ethos,” readiness and lethality of army during his final confirmation hearing. week.
Here’s everything Trump said about the US military on his first day back in office — and what to expect next.
Trump promised to reinstate service members who refused the COVID-19 vaccine — with back pay
Republicans have argued that firing service members who refuse the COVID-19 vaccine hurts military readiness. Joe Raedle/Getty Images
The president said he would reinstate more than 8,000 troops discharged from military service for refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine.
The mandate was originally issued in August 2021 by then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and ran until January 2023, with limited exemptions for medical or religious reasons. It was repealed when Biden signed a defense spending bill into law in December 2022.
Congressional Republicans have previously argued that the rule hurts the readiness of the US military amid a recruiting crisis. Pentagon officials have denied this and said only a small number of discharged personnel reapplied for military service after the mandate was lifted. About 99% of the active duty Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force were vaccinated, as was 98% of the Army.
In his inauguration speech, Trump also promised full pay for reinstated service members. Hegseth also suggested this last week.
Trump plans to use the military in his crackdown on illegal immigration
Trump focused heavily on illegal immigration and deportation during his presidential campaign. Rebecca Noble/Getty Images
On Monday evening, Trump signed an executive order declaring a national emergency on the US-Mexico border, as well as an executive order to send the US Northern Command to “seal the borders and maintain the sovereignty, territorial integrity and the security of the United States by repelling forms of invasion including illegal mass migration, narcotics trafficking, human smuggling and other criminal activities”.
Throughout his campaign, Trump focused heavily on illegal immigration and indicated plans to launch a mass deportation campaign. After the election, he suggested he might use the US military to do so.
Legal experts have said using the military to control immigration and deportation is complicated by different rules governing the military, state defense forces and civilian law enforcement, said Cassandra Burke Robertson, a Case University law professor. Western Reserve and Irina D. Manta, a law professor at Hofstra University, wrote in The Conversation on Monday.
Deploying National Guard units to the southern border has precedent — Trump did it himself in April 2018, as did Obama and Bush — but the military is generally barred from enforcing domestic laws. However, Trump may use the military in a supporting role.
Trump said he would end “radical political theories” and other culture war issues in the military
Donald Trump was sworn in by Chief Justice John Roberts at his inauguration. Kenny Holston/Pool/Getty Images
During his inauguration speech, Trump said he would sign an executive order “to prohibit our warfighters from being subjected to radical political theories and social experiments while on duty,” referring to his larger ideological battle.
Trump and the Republican Party have made so-called “woke” policies, including diversity, equity and inclusion, key platform issues, arguing they harm military readiness. Hegseth has made various statements on the matter, many of which — such as his critical comments against women serving in the military — were central to his confirmation hearing.
It remains unclear which of these issues will become concrete policy and how the President will implement them, though they are consistent with other plans to cut spending at the Pentagon, increase senior ranks and restore federal DEI efforts. .
On Monday, Trump signed an executive order revoking Biden’s policy allowing transgender people to serve in the military, paving the way for a ban on trans service members similar to the ban in his first term.
