Pete Hegseth says the decision is based on the principle of “medical autonomy” and criticizes the mandate as “overreach.”
Published April 21, 2026
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said the flu vaccine will no longer be mandatory for members of the country's military, the latest step by President Donald Trump to change vaccine policy in the federal government.
Hegseth said in a video shared on social media Tuesday that the decision was based on principles of “medical autonomy” and religious freedom.
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“We are taking this moment to rule out any absurd and excessive mandates that will only weaken our warfighting capabilities. In this case, this includes the universal flu vaccine and the mandate behind it,” Hegseth said.
“The notion that the flu vaccine should be mandatory for all service members, everywhere, in all circumstances, at all times is overly broad and unrational.”
The Trump administration has framed vaccine rejection as a matter of personal moral and religious principles, reversing some policies intended to protect against preventable diseases.
Hegseth's directive allows several military services to request that the mandate be maintained, giving them 15 days to do so.
The announcement comes after what health officials described as a particularly bad flu season when infections surged in the United States. Public health experts have recommended that everyone six months and older receive the annual flu vaccine.
The second Trump administration has reflected some of the negative reactions to public health guidelines and mandates that were implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hegseth himself has called that period an “era of betrayal” for the country's armed forces. More than 8,400 military members were expelled for failing to comply with a 2021 mandate to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
The Trump administration has also rolled back vaccine recommendations in other areas, announcing earlier this year that it would not recommend flu shots and other forms of vaccines for all children. A lawsuit was filed challenging that effort, and a federal judge temporarily blocked the policy while the legal challenge plays out.
