Military recruitment has ‘skyrocketed’ under Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth

For much of the past four years, the military often failed to meet its recruitment targets even as it struggled to retain experienced personnel.

However, that situation has changed dramatically ever since President Donald Trump took office and appointed Pete Hegseth as his Secretary of Defense. 

Pentagon spokesman: “Enthusiasm to serve is at an all-time high”

According to Breitbart, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell touted Trump and Hegseth’s success at convincing Americans to put on a uniform.

“Thanks to President Trump and Secretary Hegseth’s leadership, enthusiasm to serve is at an all-time high,” Parnell told reporters at a press briefing on Wednesday.

The Department of Defense official went on to boast of how “the U.S. military has seen the highest recruiting percentage mission achieved in 30 years.”

Pentagon spokesman @SeanParnellATSD tells me that the “leadership” of President Trump and Sec. Hegseth have inspired more military recruitment after the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Space Force all met their FY 2025 recruitment goals months ahead of schedule. @BreitbartNews pic.twitter.com/K65QXvXidc

— Olivia Rondeau 🇺🇸 (@rondeaulivia) July 3, 2025

“Recruiting is a constellation of different things,” Parnell stated when asked about the factors which have contributed to the turnaround.

Parnell: Trump and Hegseth “are inspirational leaders”

He went on to cited Trump and Hegseth’s “leadership and moral clarity as it pertains to certain issues, not just here within the department, but all around the world, has inspired people to want to join and serve this country in great numbers.”

“I think the Secretary is looking at a constellation of different things to sustain the momentum that we have now, but the reality is that leadership matters, and the president and the secretary are inspirational leaders,” he insisted.

Parnell’s remarks came just two weeks after Fox News reported that the U.S. Navy managed to fulfil its recruiting objectives for fiscal year 2025 three months ahead of schedule.

That development was touted in a statement released by Secretary of the Navy John Phelan, who said that “Navy recruiting has skyrocketed” since last November.

An additional 40,000 new sailors expected to pass basic training this summer

“More qualified and motivated Americans than ever are stepping forward and answering the call to serve their country,” Phelan observed.

“The world is more complex and contested than it has been in decades, and our ability to respond starts with our greatest asset, our people,” he stressed.

Fox News explained that as of June 18, the Navy expected to send an additional 40,000 new sailors through basic training by summer’s end.

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