President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order Monday reinstating over 8,000 military service members who were separated during the Biden administration for not complying with its COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
And the action is long overdue.
“The Executive Order directs the Secretary of Defense to reinstate all members of the military (active and reserve) who were discharged for refusing the COVID vaccine and who request to be reinstated,” according to a White House fact sheet.
The service members will receive back pay and benefits the fact sheet said.
“In spite of the scientific evidence, the Biden Administration discharged healthy service members — many of whom had natural immunity and dedicated their entire lives to serving our country — for refusing to take the COVID vaccine,” the fact sheet noted.
The fact sheet also pointed out that of the over 8,000 service members who were dismissed, only 43 chose to return to active duty under the Biden administration after the mandate was repealed in 2023, which had been spearheaded by Republican House members.
Two White House officials tell me President Trump is readying to sign three executive orders all having to do with the military, banning transgender service members, reinstating service members discharged for refusing to get the COVID vaccine, and eliminating DEI programs. https://t.co/JuXjljzFrh pic.twitter.com/PJK4oPSdhp
— Kellie Meyer (@KellieMeyerNews) January 27, 2025
GOP Rep. Brian Mast of Florida, a former U.S. Army Ranger, had offered legislation during the Biden administration on the issue to reinstate the troops with full back pay.
Do you support this move by Trump?
On Monday, he celebrated Trump’s executive order telling Fox News, “Great day for patriots. Great day for our service members, my brothers and sisters in arms.”
Mast noted the burden of the mandate tended to fall on conservatives who questioned the Biden administration’s judgment regarding the matter.
“They were creating a system where the ones that were going to be giving promotions to the next class of individuals were all going to be those that didn’t say, ‘Nah, I’m not a conservative. I’m OK with everything that you’re doing right now.’”
🚨BREAKING: President Trump is bringing back over 8,000 military members who were dismissed for not getting the Covid vaccine, granting them full back pay.
Promises made. Promises kept.
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) January 27, 2025
Newly-minted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed on Monday in front of the Pentagon that the executive order was coming.
BREAKING: Pete Hegseth confirmed he is REINSTATING the military members who were kicked out over refusing the covid jab!
This is HUGE!
Thank you @PeteHegseth pic.twitter.com/vvHtXPnqYH
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) January 27, 2025
“There are more executive orders coming that we fully support — on removing DEI inside the Pentagon, reinstating troops who were pushed out because of Covid mandates … As the Secretary of Defense, it’s an honor … to ensure these orders are complied with rapidly,” he said.
This reinstatement action was long overdue.
The Biden administration went over the top trying to enforce compliance with the mandate — even targeting Navy SEALs who sued seeking a religious exemption.
It was very clear at that point the vaccine did not stop the spread of the virus, nor provide better protection against severe illness than natural immunity.
Further, the young and healthy were the least at risk overall.
Score another win for common sense, and Trump’s barely a week in office.
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