Flu vaccine no longer required for military members, Hegseth announces
FILE - A U.S. Army soldier from the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, prepares Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines to inoculate people at the Miami Dade College North Campus on March 09, 2021 in North Miami, Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/G
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday on social media that the War Department would no longer be requiring members of the military to get the flu vaccine.
The Department of War, formerly the Department of Defense, issued a memorandum enacting the policy change immediately.
Military flu vaccine mandate
What they're saying:
Hegeseth said military members had been forced to choose "between their conscience and their country" previously, referencing the COVID-19 pandemic, but that would no longer be the case.
"We are discarding the mandatory flu vaccine requirement, effective immediately," his video reads.
He called the mandate "overly broad" and "not rational."
He said military members who believe the flu vaccine is in their best interest can take the vaccine, but others won’t be forced to do so.
Timeline:
A memorandum signed by Hegseth on April 20 said the new policy would go into effect immediately.
Big picture view:
The new mandate follows similar department efforts regarding the COVID-19 vaccine.
COVID-19 military vaccine
The backstory:
Under the Biden administration, roughly 8,200 troops were discharged during the COVID-19 pandemic for refusing to get the vaccine, according to reporting from The Associated Press.
Those members have been able to return to service since 2023, and the Trump administration has offered back pay. Reporting from The Associated Press in September 2025 found that only a small number of discharged members had rejoined.
Vaccine recommendations
Meanwhile:
Earlier this year, the Trump administration dropped the number of vaccines it recommends for every American child.
The order, issued by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in January, ended broad recommendations for all children to be vaccinated against flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, some forms of meningitis and RSV.
But last month, a federal judge temporarily blocked the order, saying the process likely violated federal procedures in revamping a key vaccine advisory committee.
READ MORE: Judge temporarily blocks federal health officials from reducing vaccine recommendations for children
Kennedy, a leading anti-vaccine activist before becoming the nation’s top health official, fired the entire 17-member panel last year and replaced it with a group that includes several anti-vaccine voices, according to The Associated Press.
The Source: Information in this article was taken from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s social media and correspondence from the Department of War. Background information was taken from previous reporting by The Associated Press. This story was reported from Detroit.