Investing.com -- An executive action will be signed by President Donald Trump to reinstate service members who were discharged for refusing to get a Covid-19 vaccine, as per anonymous sources. The order will instruct the Defense Secretary to reinstate both active and reserve duty members who wish to return to service. These members will be granted their previous rank along with full back pay and benefits.
This action is a fulfillment of a promise made by Trump during his inaugural address, where he criticized the decisions to discharge these service members as "unjust." Fox News was the first to report the order.
During the vaccine mandate that extended from August 2021 to January 2023, under the Biden administration, around 8,000 troops, representing less than 1% of the military, were discharged for refusing the vaccine. The military did allow some exceptions for medical issues or religious objections. However, the dismissals resulted in legal challenges and became a contentious issue among conservatives.
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