According to a report by the U.S. Capitol Hill newspaper and The New York Post on April 8, local time, according to the latest information disclosed on the website of the U.S. Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, the U.S. military service registration system has submitted a proposed rule to the department, which will begin automatically registering eligible men for military service in December.
US media report
US President Donald Trump reportedly signed the defense authorization bill for fiscal year 2026 into law in December 2025, including mandatory automatic military service registration. The new rules, submitted by the US military service registration system, are intended to“Save money” and“Shift the burden of registration from the individual to the conscription bureau”, according to official sources. The proposed rules are currently being reviewed by the Office of Regulatory Affairs, pending finalization.
After the Vietnam War ended in 1973, the United States introduced voluntary military service, and then-president Jimmy Carter reinstated the military service registration system in 1980, the Capitol Hill newspaper said, to allow the government to call up registered men for military service in a national emergency. With the Iraq War now in a fragile two-week ceasefire, many question whether the US will recruit during that time.
White House Press Secretary Leavitt said in March that while conscription was“Not currently on the table”, Trump“Kept the option open”.