The warrior ethos effect: Why female enlistment is surging under Trump
Army exceeds recruiting goals by 10% as Defense Secretary Hegseth implements merit-based standards
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna By Rep. Anna Paulina Luna , Rep. Sheri Biggs Fox News
Published August 22, 2025 7:00am EDT
Pete Hegseth says Trump admin can 'barely keep up' with 'record-breaking surge' in military recruitment
For years, we’ve watched with frustration as Democratic administrations pulled America’s military away from its core mission and dragged it into a culture war that it never asked for.
As a veteran and a current service member of the U.S. Armed Forces, we have seen firsthand how the military was transformed under the Biden administration into a progressive playground where identity politics took priority over readiness. Standards were weakened. Language was policed. And under the banner of "diversity," the integrity and morale of our military was quietly undermined.
It’s no wonder military recruitment hit historic lows, especially among women. When the Pentagon began forcing female service members to share locker rooms, showers and sleeping quarters with biological males, it sent a loud message: Women’s safety and privacy were no longer a priority.
Even merit-based advancement, a core principle at the heart of any effective and lethal military, was replaced with divisive quotas and radical social engineering. But that tide is turning under the strong, unapologetic leadership of President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/warrior-ethos-effect-why-female-enlistment-surging-under-trump
