President Trump is taking bold action to correct a major injustice—reinstating service members who were discharged for refusing the COVID vaccine. And it doesn’t stop there. These brave men and women will also receive full back pay, ensuring they’re compensated for the hardships they endured while standing up for their rights.
Trump vowed to take the action this week because approximately 8,000 troops were “unjustly expelled from our military for objecting to the Covid vaccine mandate.”
“These heroes stood up for their rights and paid the price for it,” Trump said during a recent address. “We’re going to make this right, and we’re going to ensure no American service member is ever treated this way again.”
🚨President Trump announces he will reinstate service members discharged for refusing the Covid vaccine along with back pay.
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) January 20, 2025
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Trump’s executive order includes provisions to prioritize reinstatement for those who want to return to active duty.
It also directs the Pentagon to ensure that back pay is calculated based on the rank and tenure each service member held at the time of their dismissal.
Supporters of the move view it as a step toward restoring trust in the military and healing divisions caused by the mandate.
However, critics have called it a political stunt, arguing that reinstating discharged troops could create logistical and administrative challenges for an already strained military reeling from the woke policies of the Biden era.