President Donald Trump sparked a wave of online reactions after sharing a throwback photo from his teenage years at military academy — a post that quickly reignited debate about his own history with the military draft.
The image, posted on Truth Social last week, shows a young Trump in uniform standing beside his parents, Fred and Mary Trump, at the New York Military Academy in Cornwall‑on‑Hudson. Trump was sent to the academy at age 13 in 1959 and stayed there until he was 18.
“At Military Academy with my parents, Fred and Mary!” the president wrote on Thursday evening.
@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social The post came just hours after U.S. Central Command announced that an American military refueling aircraft had gone down in western Iraq, as tensions in the Middle East continue to rise following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.
While some supporters praised the nostalgic photo, critics on social media quickly pointed to another part of Trump’s past: his avoidance of military service during the Vietnam War.
Five draft deferments during Vietnam
During the Vietnam War era, which lasted from 1955 to 1975, American men over 18 could be drafted into military service.
Trump, who was of draft age at the time, received five deferments in total.
Four of those were student deferments while he was in college.
While attending Fordham University, Trump briefly joined the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC). However, he left the program in his second year as the Vietnam War intensified. Students in ROTC were expected to become commissioned officers after graduation, which likely meant being sent to Vietnam.
At the time, some professors were uneasy about their students being drafted. As a result, they sometimes gave higher grades to help students stay in school and avoid conscription.
Trump was reportedly encouraged to improve his academic performance for this reason, though he did not make the dean’s list during his first year.
Trump (second from left) in 1964 / Wikipedia Commons Later, Trump received a medical exemption after being diagnosed with bone spurs in both heels, which classified him as unfit for service.
Bone spurs — medically known as osteophytes — are bony growths that can form around joints or along the spine, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Dr. Larry Braunstein, a Queens podiatrist who died about 20 years ago, reportedly diagnosed Trump as a favor to his father, Fred.
That diagnosis ultimately allowed Trump to avoid being drafted.
The issue has been a recurring point of criticism for years. After Trump posted the academy photo, journalist Aaron Rupar called the post “unspeakably pathetic.”
Political group The Lincoln Project also weighed in, labeling the image “stolen valor,” a term used for falsely claiming military service.
Another outlet, MeidasTouch, mocked the situation by referring to the president as “Cadet Bone Spurs.”
Trump previously addressed the controversy
Trump has discussed the matter in past interviews, saying he could not remember which heel had the bone spur but describing the condition as temporary.
He has said the issue was “temporary,” “minor,” and that “over a period of time, it healed up.”
In a 2019 interview, he also said he opposed the Vietnam War at the time.
“I was never a fan of that war. I thought it was a terrible war, it was very far away,” Trump said.
“Nobody had heard of Vietnam… this wasn’t like fighting against Nazi Germany or Hitler. I wasn’t out on the streets marching or saying I would move to Canada, but I wasn’t a fan.”
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a Medal of Honor ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, United States, on March 02, 2026. (Photo by Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images) Although Trump personally opposed the war, he did not participate in any protests.
He has also said he would have been “honoured” to serve.
Around 2.7 to 2.8 million Americans served during the Vietnam War.
In total, 58,220 U.S. service members were killed, more than 300,000 were injured, and over 1,500 were listed as missing in action for years after the war ended.
Barron Trump dragged into online debate
The controversy has resurfaced amid growing fears of a wider global conflict following U.S. and Israeli military operations in Iran.
The strikes have been linked to the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and his son Mojtaba Khamenei has since been appointed the country’s new leader by Iran’s Assembly of Experts.
As tensions escalate, discussions about military conscription in the United States have intensified online.
Under current law, all male U.S. citizens and male immigrants between 18 and 25 must register with the Selective Service System.
If a draft were activated, men turning 20 during the lottery year would be called first, followed by those aged 21 through 25.
Barron Trump. Credit: Getty Images Trump’s youngest son, Barron — now 19 — has unexpectedly become part of that conversation, with some social media users arguing he should serve if a draft were reinstated.
“I am not joking about drafting Barron, send him in first,” one user wrote online.
Another added: “Baron should be the first one to be drafted.”
A third said: “Baron’s name should be at the tippy-top of the list.”
However, the president’s youngest son could potentially be exempt from military service — though not for the reasons many assume.
At 6’7″, Barron may be too tall for certain military roles, especially those requiring soldiers to fit into confined spaces such as tanks, armored vehicles, or aircraft, according to the Mirror.
The U.S. Army sets a height limit of 6’8″ for several positions, which could effectively disqualify him from those roles.
While there is currently no active draft in the United States, the debate shows how quickly the topic of military service can become politically charged — particularly when global tensions are rising.
