The White House says there are currently no plans to send ground forces to Iran.
White House press secretary Caroline Levitt told reporters there are no plans to keep U.S. ground troops in Iran, but that option is on the table.
- White House press secretary Caroline Levitt did not rule out recruitment to the Iran war.
- President Trump has not commented publicly on the draft, but said he would only send ground troops for “very good reason.”
- Reinstating conscription would require an act of Congress.
White House press secretary Caroline Levitt did not allay concerns about recruitment to the Iran war in an interview appearance over the weekend.
On March 8, Levitt appeared on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” with Maria Bartiromo to talk about the Iran war, rising fuel prices, the SAVE Act and more.
“Mothers out there are worried that there will be conscription, that their sons and daughters will be caught up in this. What do you have to say about the president’s ground forces plan?” Bartiromo asked.
“(President Donald Trump) is wise to keep options off the table,” Levitt responded. He also reiterated comments from an earlier briefing, saying that the presence of ground troops is not currently part of the plan, which is primarily an air operation. “As commander in chief, the president wants to continue to evaluate the success of this military operation.”
The war has so far killed seven Americans, at least 1,230 in Iran, about 400 in Lebanon and at least 11 in Israel.
Is Trump talking about the draft?
A review of President Trump’s appearances and interviews over the past week shows that he has not publicly commented on the possibility of returning to the Iranian military draft.
On March 7, President Trump was asked by reporters on Air Force One under what circumstances he would send ground troops.
“I don’t think that’s the right question,” he said. “Is that possible? There’s probably a very good reason.”
In a post on Truth Social in September 2024 during the election period, he stated that the draft would be held if he voted for his opponent, indicating his intention not to hold the draft.
Congressional action would be required to re-enact the draft.
Returning to the draft would require Congress to amend the Selective Service Act.
Current military operations in Iran have not been authorized by Congress as an act of war. Rather, under the War Powers Act of 1973, the president can authorize military action but is restricted from deploying troops for more than 90 days unless war is formally declared. Only Congress has the power to declare war under the Constitution.
The last draft call occurred in 1972, and the president’s authority to make appointments expired the following year.
Was Donald Trump drafted into the Vietnam War?
Although Mr. Trump was old enough to be drafted, he did not serve in the Vietnam War.
He received four deferments for his education and a fifth deferment in 1968 for a medical exemption. In 2018, the daughters of a New York podiatrist told the New York Times that their late father gave them a bone spur diagnosis as a favor to the firm’s landlord, Fred Trump.
Asked repeatedly about his background, he said he did not serve in Vietnam because of his education and lucky draft number.
“I had a good draft number, so you know, frankly, I’m in great spirits. The Vietnam War was a war that was a mistake. Just like Iraq was a mistake, it was a terrible mistake,” Trump said in a 2016 interview on the radio show “Imus in the Morning.”
Contributors: Thao Nguyen, Christopher Cann, Melina Khan, Terry Moseley, James Powel, William Cummings, Crystal Hayes, USA TODAY Network
Kinsey Crowley is a Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Please contact KCrowley@usatodayco.com. follow her X (Twitter), blue sky and TikTok.
