The U.S. military has undergone a transformative shift aimed at restoring its core purpose: defending the nation.
President Trump steered the military away from politically driven agendas and refocused on combat readiness and national security through executive orders. These reforms directly address the military’s recent diversion toward identity-driven policies and social experimentation.
These changes have revitalized the military’s mission and morale by eliminating distractions like Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs and reinstating service members discharged for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine. For these reforms to endure, Congress must act to codify them into law, ensuring the military remains focused on its true purpose.
One significant reform has been removing race and gender quotas in military decisions. Previously, DEI initiatives infiltrated the military with mandatory diversity training, racial leadership quotas and identity-based hiring practices. These policies shifted the focus from combat readiness to social experiments, ultimately undermining the military’s effectiveness. Promotions and assignments became increasingly dependent on identity factors rather than qualifications, competence and readiness.
The executive orders aimed to eliminate these policies, ensuring that military decisions are based solely on merit and performance. Under these reforms, promotions, assignments and recruitment are determined by an individual’s ability to perform under pressure. This shift restores the principles of competence, cohesion and excellence.
Another critical area of reform was the reinstatement of service members discharged for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine. Under the Biden administration, thousands of service members were dismissed, leading to significant rifts in unit cohesion and morale. Trump’s executive order reversed these discharges and ensured that service members dismissed were reinstated with back pay.
This move was crucial for restoring morale and trust within the military. By prioritizing the readiness and unity of the armed forces over political agendas, the order helped rebuild the bond between service members. It reaffirmed that military service should be about defending the nation above all else. The effect of this decision is evident in the surge of enlistments in December 2024, with the Army enlisting nearly 350 soldiers a day, its most successful December in 15 years. This increase in recruitment can be attributed to the renewed focus on military excellence and the restoration of pride in service.
In addition to personnel reforms, the executive orders also focused on reinforcing the military’s role in national defense beyond traditional combat operations. One significant change was the directive for the military to play a more active role in securing the U.S. border. The crisis at the southern border, marked by rising illegal immigration, human trafficking and drug smuggling, has posed a significant threat to national security. The president’s order put the military to work protecting the border, ensuring that the armed forces are prepared to defend the country abroad and capable of securing its borders at home.
The military’s role in safeguarding the nation’s borders is essential, especially as criminal organizations and potential security threats thrive in areas with insufficient border enforcement. By deploying military resources to assist in border protection, the president aimed to send a message: the U.S. military is committed to defending American citizens from all forms of threats, whether they be drug cartels, terrorists or other adversaries attempting to cross into the country.
Additionally, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth advocated for restructuring the Joint Chiefs of Staff, which had become a sprawling bureaucracy disconnected from its original mission. The Joint Staff Reform and Efficiency Act streamlined operations, reallocated resources and refocused the staff on its primary mission: advising the president and secretary of defense on military matters. These structural reforms aimed to eliminate inefficiencies and ensure that resources focus on mission-critical tasks rather than on unnecessary administrative overhead.
While these reforms represent a significant shift in the military’s priorities, their long-term success hinges on their codification into law. For these changes to endure and remain free from future political shifts, Congress must act to enshrine them in legislation. This will ensure that future administrations cannot undo the progress in restoring the military’s focus on merit, readiness and national defense.
The Senate must pass legislation to codify these reforms, making them permanent and ensuring that the U.S. military remains a meritocracy, where the best-qualified individuals rise to leadership positions regardless of their identity. By doing so, Congress will secure a future where the military remains focused on its primary mission: defending the nation through strength, unity and excellence.
Trump’s executive orders have restored the U.S. military to its true mission: defending the nation with strength, unity and operational effectiveness. By eliminating politically driven policies and refocusing on merit-based personnel decisions, Trump has ensured that the military is ready and capable of facing any threat.
The reinstatement of service members discharged for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine and the renewed emphasis on securing the nation’s borders have further strengthened the military’s position. Through these reforms, the military is better prepared to defend the country and maintain its position as the most formidable fighting force in the world.
