On June 11th, former President Trump rebuked claims suggesting that if he had won the presidential election this year, he might have pushed for the implementation of compulsory military service for Americans, labeling it as a “ridiculous idea” and criticizing a related report by The Washington Post for seeking to “damage” his reputation among voters.
In a post on his self-created social media platform, Truth Social, Trump stated, “The Fake News Washington Post came up with a ridiculous idea that Trump would require [Americans] to serve in the military. This is just a continuation of their failed attempts over 8 years to damage me. This story is totally untrue. In fact, I never even thought about it.”
The post further stated, “Only a corrupt newspaper that has lost 50% of its readership would make up such a story. This is just another Fake News story made up by the dead Washington Compost!”
According to The Hill, Trump had not publicly expressed his stance on whether the U.S. government should mandate young people to serve in the military before. Since 1973, the U.S. has shifted from compulsory military service to a volunteer-based system. The Washington Post’s report on the 11th was largely based on remarks made by Christopher Miller, who was appointed as the Secretary of Defense towards the end of Trump’s presidency in 2020. At that time, Trump had lost his re-election bid and had posted on social media, dismissing then-Defense Secretary Esper.
The Washington Post’s report cited Miller as part of “a group of influential former government officials and Republican lawmakers who have loudly discussed conscription.” According to the report, in one interview, Miller suggested that the U.S. should “strongly consider” implementing compulsory military service.
Additionally, the report quoted Republican Senator JD Vance from Ohio, who also believed that changing the military service system in the U.S. might be a good idea, reasoning that it could ensure more Americans “participate in it.” The report stated that Vance is considered a top contender for Trump’s presidential running mate.
The report also mentioned that The Washington Post had reached out to Trump’s campaign team regarding this matter, but they “declined to answer whether the former president supports compulsory military service.” Trump’s advisers also warned that information regarding Trump’s campaign affairs and policy positions could only be provided by Trump himself or “authorized members” of his campaign team.
The Hill noted that Trump has long been at odds with American media outlets such as The Washington Post, believing that their reporting is unfair. A spokesperson for The Washington Post did not respond to The Hill’s request for comment.
