Trump Issues Order to Rehire Troops Discharged for Refusing COVID-19 Vaccine

January 28, 2025 TruthUSA

The directive mandates the reinstatement of military personnel who were discharged for not adhering to the government’s COVID-19 vaccination requirement.

On January 27, President Donald Trump signed an order facilitating the re-entry of servicemen discharged for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine back into the U.S. military, along with full back pay.

Former service members can apply for reinstatement, reclaiming their previous rank and receiving full back pay, benefits, bonuses, or compensation as outlined in the order.

According to the order, “The vaccine mandate placed an unfair, excessive, and entirely unnecessary burden on our service members. Moreover, the military wrongfully discharged individuals who declined the vaccine, irrespective of their years of dedicated service to our Nation, after many were denied exemptions that they rightfully should have received.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is instructed to provide Trump with an update on the implementation of the order within a 60-day timeframe.

Earlier on Monday, Hegseth informed reporters at the Pentagon that the department would act on Trump’s military-related directives “promptly and without excuse.”

He further expressed support for the initiative to reinstate troops who were removed due to the Department of Defense’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate.

Hegseth previously mentioned that the military plans to offer an apology to the dismissed members.

In 2021, President Joe Biden directed the military to implement vaccination requirements, stipulating that service members must be vaccinated against COVID-19 unless granted an exemption for medical, religious, or other acceptable reasons.

According to the White House, over 8,000 military personnel were discharged for opting out of the vaccine after their exemption requests were denied.

Following legislation passed by Congress and signed by Biden, the military rescinded the mandate in 2023. However, there was no mandate from Congress to reinstate any members who were discharged for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine.

Judicial rulings have found that military officials did not comply with federal laws when processing exemption requests, and an inspector general determined that various military branches failed to adhere to internal guidelines in managing exemption requests.

Shortly after taking office on January 20, Trump stated that he would reinstate former military members who had declined the COVID-19 vaccine.

“I will reinstate any service members who were unjustly expelled from our military for refusing the COVID vaccine mandate with full back pay,” Trump declared at the U.S. Capitol in Washington.

As per the White House, only 43 of the servicemen discharged under the vaccine mandate have since returned to active duty.

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