On January 20, shortly after being sworn in as President, Donald Trump announced plans to reinstate military personnel discharged for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, promising full back pay and a return to their previous ranks.
“This week, I will reinstate any service members who were unjustly expelled from our military for objecting to the COVID vaccine mandate with full back pay,” Trump told a crowd of supporters gathered for his inaugural speech.
Applause broke out as he vowed to put an end to what he described as “radical political theories and social experiments” in the armed forces. “Our armed forces will be freed to focus on their sole mission: defeating America’s enemies,” he added.
The military first implemented the vaccine mandate in 2021 under the direction of then-President Joe Biden. The directive resulted in more than 16,000 religious exemption requests, the majority of which were denied. Approximately 7,000 troops were discharged after refusing the vaccine and having their exemption requests rejected.
While Congress repealed the mandate in 2023, requiring the Pentagon to consider reinstating discharged personnel who sought reentry, the legislation stopped short of mandating their reinstatement. Many lawmakers pushed for provisions that would guarantee the return of these service members, but the final version of the bill left the decision to the discretion of military leadership.
Federal courts and watchdog agencies have since concluded that several branches of the armed forces mishandled exemption requests, with one court ruling that the military violated federal law. Although a Supreme Court decision overturned a lower court ruling, the lawsuits resulted in settlements that corrected the records of affected members, making them eligible for reenlistment.
Trump’s incoming defense secretary nominee, Pete Hegseth, has already pledged to prioritize the reinstatement of discharged personnel. “The Pentagon will provide back pay and apologize to those forced out due to an experimental vaccine,” Hegseth told senators recently, echoing Trump’s campaign promises.
Republican lawmakers have praised Trump’s announcement, including Representative Neal Dunn of Florida, who authored a bill advocating for reinstatement.
“Thank you, @realDonaldTrump, for pledging to implement provisions in my bill, the Troop Act,” Dunn wrote on social media. “Today marks the beginning of the American golden age!”
With this decision, Trump signals his broader intent to reshape the military’s policies, removing what he sees as unnecessary distractions and focusing instead on national defense. The reinstatement process is expected to unfold in the coming weeks, offering a fresh start for the thousands of troops affected by the controversial vaccine mandate.