In June, the Army announced that it had surpassed its target of bringing 61,000 new recruits on board, with four months still left in 2025. There’s been a notable increase in female enlistment too. Each military branch seems to be revitalizing its spirit, likely reinvigorated by the leadership of President Trump and Defense Secretary Hegses.
However, Republican members of Congress still need to cement this new direction into law.
Some Congressional Republicans believe they must work toward permanently ending policies from an administration that severely impacted military effectiveness.
The previous administration’s focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion created challenges at the Pentagon, hampering recruitment and diverting attention from the military’s primary mission.
Under Biden’s leadership, the Army nearly lost 30,000 potential recruits. This misalignment of priorities has led to waning confidence within the ranks. A resurgence, often referred to as the “Trump Bump,” might restore military capability after years of neglect.
Ongoing Progressive Initiatives
Racial and gender identity issues became central under Biden, with mere executive orders failing to dismantle these deeply embedded policies, especially within the military. The 2022-26 Strategic Management Plan from former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin outlined a framework for race-based allocation across military personnel.
The aim is to prevent a return to race and gender essentialism seen over the past decades, a necessary step to allow Secretary Hegses to effectively enhance America’s military capabilities.
There are signs of progress. Recent actions by the Senate Armed Services Committee regarding the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act include measures aimed at curbing the influence of diversity and inclusion initiatives. One section prevents race and identity considerations from impacting service academy admissions, while another repeals various DEI policies in the Department of Defense.
These changes are certainly a step forward but fall short of comprehensive reform. Congress needs to go further, making it clear that identity politics should be eliminated not just from admissions but across the military. To have real impact, Section 920 should ensure that violations of these principles disqualify applicants from future government service.
Abolition of DEI-Based Admissions
Another pressing issue is the DEI Select Committee’s mandate from 2021, which requires the military to reflect the diversity of the population. This contradicts their core mission: to select the most capable leaders to win conflicts.
Early indications from both the House and Senate Armed Services Committees reveal some awareness of these issues, but a commitment to fully embracing reforms from the Trump era is still lacking. Given the current state of military preparedness, decisive action is necessary to restore effectiveness and eliminate DEI entanglements.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker has been a consistent advocate for eradication of these policies but faces challenges with a slim majority in Congress.
Opportunity for Republicans
Now is a pivotal moment for lawmakers. The current drafts of the NDAA need significant improvement. Republicans have a chance to codify the reforms initiated by Trump and Hegses, re-establishing combat readiness as the military’s primary goal.
To dismantle the DEI structure, Congress needs to move beyond executive action and legislate a permanent end to the ideologies that have undermined military preparedness.
