Trump Cannot Unilaterally Reinstitute the Draft

It was maddening, but not surprising, for White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt to say President Trump was not “removing options off of the table” when Fox News’s Maria Bartiromo asked whether compulsory military service might be reinstituted. (See Jim’s Jolt this morning.)

In fairness to Leavitt, Bartiromo was mainly asking about whether the aerial campaign against Iran might be expanded to include the introduction of ground troops. I believe Leavitt was trying to convey that the war would remain an air campaign, but felt compelled to add the caveat — apparently mandatory for all Trump administration officials — that Trump never says, “never”: never tips his hand or gives ground on anything related to power he might choose to exercise, regardless of whether the Constitution makes it his power to exercise.

About the Author

Andrew C. McCarthy

Andrew C. McCarthy is a senior fellow at National Review Institute, an NR contributing editor, and author of Ball of Collusion: The Plot to Rig an Election and Destroy a Presidency.

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It was maddening, but not surprising, for White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt to say President Trump was not “removing options off of the table” when Fox News’s Maria Bartiromo asked whether compulsory military service might be reinstituted. (See Jim’s Jolt this morning.)

In fairness to Leavitt, Bartiromo was mainly asking about whether the aerial campaign against Iran might be expanded to include the introduction of ground troops. I believe Leavitt was trying to convey that the war would remain an air campaign, but felt compelled to add the caveat — apparently mandatory for all Trump administration officials — that Trump never says, “never”: never tips his hand or gives ground on anything related to power he might choose to exercise, regardless of whether the Constitution makes it his power to exercise.

About the Author

Andrew C. McCarthy

Andrew C. McCarthy is a senior fellow at National Review Institute, an NR contributing editor, and author of Ball of Collusion: The Plot to Rig an Election and Destroy a Presidency.