Following the recent missile strikes between Israel and Iran – as well as President Donald Trump’s targeting of Iranian nuclear sites – it is only expected that concerns of WWIII have surfaced in headlines and social media posts.
However, if the worst really was to occur, who is likely to be called up to defend the nation?
Rising Tensions and Presidential Action
On June 21, the United States launched a military operation dubbed “Operation Midnight Hammer,” targeting three of Iran’s nuclear facilities: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The strikes, authorized by President Trump, aimed to curb Iran’s alleged development of nuclear weapons.
n a statement on Truth Social, President Trump said: “We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home.”
He followed up with a stern warning: “ANY RETALIATION BY IRAN AGAINST THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WILL BE MET WITH FORCE FAR GREATER THAN WHAT WAS WITNESSED TONIGHT. THANK YOU! DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.”
Then, on Tuesday, Trump lashed out at both Israel and Iran for breaching a ceasefire that had been agreed upon in the early hours of the morning.
“Israel, as soon as we made the deal, they came out and they dropped a load of bombs, the likes of which I’ve never seen before, the biggest load that we’ve seen,” Trump exclaimed to reporters. “I’m not happy with Israel.”
Trump continued: “You don’t go out in the first hour and just drop everything you have on them. So I’m not happy with them. I’m not happy with Iran either.”
The POTUS didn’t mince words when he added: “We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what the f*** they’re doing.”
In fact, on Thursday, Trump was asked directly whether he considered Putin an enemy and if he believed the Russian leader had broader territorial ambitions. To which, the POTUS responded, per The Independent: “It’s possible. I consider him a person who I think is misguided.”
However, Trump did add that Putin was eager to resolve the conflict, stating: “He would like to get out of this thing. It’s a mess for him.”
Trump’s comments came during the NATO summit in the Netherlands, where NATO leaders endorsed a significant increase in defense spending.
Global Leaders and Military Experts Sound the Alarm
With tensions rising, The Mirror reports that Russian general Apti Alaudinov has echoed what many are beginning to fear: that we are already in the midst of World War III, whether we recognize it or not.
Back home, the United States is bolstering its readiness. Two U.S. aircraft carrier groups, the USS Nimitz and the USS Carl Vinson, have been positioned in the Middle East in anticipation of further escalation, per The National Interest.
President Trump, who once promised to end America’s involvement in “forever wars,” now faces a dramatically shifting global landscape that could pull the country into an all-encompassing conflict. If such a war erupts, the reactivation of the military draft — unused since 1973 — could be imminent.
The Draft: Who Could Be Called to Serve?
The Selective Service System (SSS), which has been in place since 1917, is the mechanism through which the U.S. would draft soldiers. During the Vietnam War alone, 1.9 million Americans were drafted.
Currently, all male citizens aged 18 to 25 are required by law to register with the SSS—including undocumented immigrants, refugees, and green card holders. Noncompliance can result in fines up to $250,000.
In a wartime draft scenario, a lottery based on date of birth determines who gets called first, with 20-year-olds typically selected before moving up or down the age range. Each draftee undergoes a physical and mental health evaluation. Those who are medically or psychologically unfit would be deferred or exempted.
Though discussions around including women in the draft have occurred, no such legislation has passed as of now.
Who Is Exempt or Deferred?
The following individuals may be exempt or deferred from service:
Conscientious objectors
Full-time students
Parents and caregivers with dependents (hardship deferments)
Essential workers in healthcare and critical infrastructure (e.g., tech, utilities)
Ministers and certain elected officials
Dual nationals under certain conditions
Students can apply to have their service postponed, and draftees can request reclassification — such as conscientious objector status — after being drafted but before reporting for duty.
Additionally, those institutionalized before age 18 and who remain so until 26 (e.g., in hospitals or long-term care) may be exempt from registration entirely.
History Repeats?
The last U.S. draft was held in 1972. It officially ended on January 27, 1973, under then Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird. The final draftee was Dwight Elliott Stone, a 24-year-old apprentice plumber from Sacramento, California, who entered service on June 30, 1973.
Yet the resurgence of military conflict, the escalation of global hostilities, and renewed military mobilization are resurrecting old fears in a new geopolitical context.
As one user pointed out on X (formerly Twitter): “If only Donald Trump was President then World War 3 wouldn’t have just started in the Middle East. Oh.”
President Trump’s administration has not announced any formal draft reactivation, and no bills are currently before Congress to enact one. However, former officials and lawmakers have floated ideas like a “national service mandate,” and the Washington Post previously reported growing interest among certain GOP figures in such legislation.
