Trump to reinstate service members discharged for not getting COVID-19 vaccine

SUMMARY
President Donald Trump has issued an executive order reinstating service members discharged between 2021 and 2023 for refusing COVID-19 vaccinations. The order, signed during his first week in office, directs the Department of Defense to allow these individuals, both active and reserve, to return to service upon request. Reinstated personnel will be restored to their previous rank and provided back pay and benefits, a move Trump called necessary to correct what he deemed an unjust policy under the Biden administration. The executive order specifies that affected service members will not only receive compensation for lost wages and benefits but also regain their full military status, including any honors or seniority previously held. Trump’s administration has described the move as a moral and practical correction to ensure military readiness and fairness, signaling further policy reversals tied to pandemic-era mandates.