American males who meet requirements will be subject to compulsory military service beginning December 2026

By December, the United States will introduce an automated system to register eligible men for the military draft, streamlining the existing self-registration process and reducing associated costs, as part of a broader effort to enhance efficiency.

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The proposed rule, submitted by the Selective Service System to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs on March 30, aims to leverage federal data sources to register individuals, thereby shifting the onus of registration from individual men to the Selective Service System.

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The move towards automatic enrollment was mandated under the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, enacted in December 2025, which requires most men aged 18 to 25 to be registered with the Selective Service, with the new system set to improve efficiency and cut costs.

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The Selective Service System's website explains that the change is designed to "transfers responsibility for registration from individual men to SSS through integration with federal data sources," and is currently under review, awaiting final approval.

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The United States has not had a military draft in place since the Vietnam War, instead relying on voluntary enlistment since 1973, although the Selective Service framework was reinstated by former President Jimmy Carter in 1980 in case of a "national emergency".

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This framework allows the registry to "provide personnel to the Department of War and alternative service for conscientious objectors, if authorized by the President and Congress," and has sparked questions about whether a draft could be reinstated, particularly in light of recent tensions, including the ongoing situation involving Iran.

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A fragile two-week ceasefire is currently in place in the conflict, and addressing concerns about the potential for a draft, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated in March that while a draft is "not part of the current plan right now," President Donald Trump "wisely keeps his options on the table".

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However, the president cannot unilaterally reinstate the draft, as any move to resume compulsory military service would require Congress to amend the Military Selective Service Act, highlighting the complexities and challenges involved in reinstating a draft.

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Failure to comply with draft registration laws carries serious consequences, including ineligibility for federal student aid, certain state benefits, and government employment opportunities, as well as possible fines of up to $250,000 and prison sentences of up to five years.

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Additionally, immigrants who fail to register risk losing their U.S. citizenship, underscoring the importance of compliance with draft registration laws, which will be automatically enforced within 30 days of an eligible man turning 18 under the proposed rule.

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Notably, women remain excluded from the draft, despite repeated legislative attempts in recent years to include them in the system, with these efforts consistently being removed before final approval of defense bills.