Fact-Checking Trump’s Distorted Claims About Military Compensation And Enlistment

In an address on September 30 to military leaders and during an October 9 Cabinet meeting, President Donald Trump made several inaccurate claims regarding military pay increases and recruitment efforts.Trump announced a 3.8% raise for military personnel, asserting that such an increment was absent during the previous administration. However, military compensation rose by at least 4.5% in the prior three years under his predecessor. The upcoming raise is also based on a statutory formula.Additionally, Trump provided misleading information about recruitment for fiscal year (FY) 2025, claiming “one year ago” that there were reports stating a lack of enlistments. In reality, nearly all military branches reached their recruiting objectives in FY 2024, showing improvement post-pandemic.Moreover, both the House and Senate versions of the National Defense Authorization Act include the proposed 3.8% pay increase. Military wage adjustments are generally aligned with the annual Employment Cost Index, which assesses private sector wage growth.

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