OPINION: Trump’s Executive Order Restores Personal Freedom to Our Service Members

Meaghan Mobbs, CME Spokesperson | February 12th, 2025 at 8:31am

On August 24, 2021, the Department of Defense, under President Joe Biden’s administration, mandated that all active-duty military personnel receive the COVID-19 vaccine. This decision was not grounded in sound military necessity or objective scientific reasoning but in politics. The science at the time did not justify forcing healthy service members—who were at minimal risk from the virus—to take a vaccine with unknown long-term effects. Instead of prioritizing readiness and ensuring that policies aligned with the best interests of those who serve, the administration used the mandate as a political litmus test, purging those who refused to comply. As a result, over 8,000 dedicated service members were discharged, weakening the very institution the mandate claimed to protect.

This was not about protecting troops from a deadly threat; it was about enforcing compliance under the guise of public health. By 2021, the available data made clear that COVID-19 posed little risk to young, healthy individuals, particularly those in peak physical condition, like active-duty personnel. The vast majority of military-aged individuals experienced mild or asymptomatic cases of the virus, with an exceptionally low hospitalization rate. Yet, service members were given an ultimatum: take an experimental vaccine with potential long-term consequences or be cast aside. The administration disregarded natural immunity, ignored legitimate medical concerns, and pushed a policy that put political optics above military effectiveness. The decision was flawed and reckless.

As a result, the consequences were immediate and far-reaching. President Biden’s mandate led to the dismissal of thousands of highly trained, experienced service members, some with years of combat experience and specialized skills that cannot be easily replaced. This exodus of talent created critical gaps in military readiness, leaving units undermanned and underprepared at a time of increasing global instability. Readiness is built on the foundation of a strong, well-trained force, and Biden’s decision directly undercut that mission.

President Donald Trump recognized the injustice of this mandate and took decisive action to correct it. His executive order reinstating those who had been wrongfully discharged is an essential step toward restoring the integrity of our armed forces. By returning these service members to their previous ranks with full back pay and benefits, Trump is sending a message that the military must be guided by sound leadership, not political agendas.

But the damage from Biden’s politicized mandate extends far beyond those who were dismissed. By punishing service members for questioning the necessity of a rushed and politically driven policy, the administration shattered trust between the military and its leadership. Why would young Americans sign up to serve when they saw those before them discarded over a manufactured crisis?

Even after the mandate was rescinded in 2023, only 43 dismissed service members chose to return—an indictment of the damage done under Biden’s leadership. Service members felt they were treated as expendable for refusing an order that had no legitimate basis in science or necessity. The consequences were severe and led to depleted force strength, broken morale, and weakened national defense at a time when global threats continue to rise.

Restoring these service members is more than just a policy correction, it’s a statement that the military should never again be used as a political tool. President Trump’s actions reinforce a fundamental truth: the military exists to win wars, not to enforce ideological compliance. A government willing to purge its own service members over an unscientific and politically driven mandate is a government that prioritizes control over national security. 

Biden’s vaccine mandate was a political maneuver masquerading as a health directive, and it cost the military dearly. While the damage cannot be fully undone, President Trump’s leadership offers a necessary course correction. The military must return to its core principles—lethality, accountability, and merit—not political gamesmanship.

Meaghan Mobbs, PhD, is the Director for the Center for American Safety and Security at Independent Women’s Forum. She is also the Military Advocacy and Policy Liaison for the Coalition for Military Excellence.