U.S. military recruitment is rising again after a tough period caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, a strong job market, and competition from private companies.
On social media, many people are giving President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth credit for this growth. Trump and members of his administration have also promoted this claim.
But records from the Defense Department show that the increase in recruitment began before Trump’s reelection in November. Experts also say changes made during the Biden administration played an important role in boosting the numbers.
CLAIM:
President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth are the reason military recruitment is booming.
FACTS:
This claim leaves out important details. Recruitment for all branches of the military has been improving for the past few years, according to Defense Department data. Experts point to new recruitment strategies, higher bonuses, and preparatory courses that started before the 2024 election. They agree Trump’s reelection may have had some effect, but it wasn’t the main reason.
“There may be some American teenagers or their parents… who were more comfortable joining the military in a Republican administration than a Democratic one,” said Katherine Kuzminski, a military recruitment expert at the Center for a New American Security. “But I don’t think that alone explains the increase.”
Recruitment Data
Military enlistment in fiscal year 2024 (Oct. 1, 2023–Sept. 30, 2024) was 12.5% higher than in 2023. There were 225,000 recruits in 2024 compared to 200,000 in 2023, said Katie Helland, the Defense Department’s director of Military Accession Policy. These numbers include both active duty and reserve troops across all five branches. About 4,800 Navy recruits signed contracts in 2024 but couldn’t begin training because of space limits.
Recruitment in fiscal year 2025, which began before Trump’s reelection, has also continued to climb.
In January, then-Army Secretary Christine Wormuth told the Associated Press that the Army is on track to enlist 61,000 people by September, with 20,000 more already signed up for 2026. She said, “The first quarter contracts… are the highest rate in the last 10 years. We are going like gangbusters.”
Social Media Reactions
Some posts online gave Trump and Hegseth all the credit. A Fox News graphic shown during a “Fox & Friends” interview with Hegseth was widely shared. It compared recruitment numbers for the first two months of fiscal year 2025 to the first five months of the previous year.
“Holy smokes. Military recruitment is THROUGH THE ROOF,” one X post read. “Absolutely smashing every goal. This is what happens when you have strong leadership.”
But Kuzminski noted there’s no evidence so far to prove Trump’s election directly caused the latest increase. She said more research, like interviews and surveys, would be needed.
Why People Join (or Don’t)
The Defense Department’s Joint Advertising Market Research Survey, released in January, didn’t list politics as a top reason for joining.
- 53% of young people (ages 16–21) said “pay/money” was their main reason to consider joining.
- 72% said “possibility of physical injury/death” was their main reason not to join.
Recruitment Challenges and Solutions
Military services have faced challenges: pandemic restrictions, strong competition from private companies, and the fact that 77% of young people (17–24) are not qualified to enlist without a waiver for issues like weight, drug use, or mental health.
To help, the Army created the Future Soldier Preparatory Course in 2022, and the Navy followed with its Future Sailor Preparatory Course in 2023. These programs help candidates meet academic and physical requirements.
Other incentives include bonuses for recruiters who surpass goals and early promotions for enlisted soldiers who bring in new recruits.
Mark Cancian, an adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said money from the Biden administration and Congress helped boost incentives. But he added that Hegseth’s leadership has also energized some Americans.
Even so, experts agree there isn’t enough data yet to know exactly how much Trump and Hegseth have influenced military recruitment.
