House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer has opened an investigation into the U.S. Selective Service System, after the agency posted a message on X/Twitter that implied that under Donald Trump’s Administration, the draft would be mandatory, as it was under Nazi Germany.
The Selective Service is not denying that it posted the comparison of Trump to Nazi Germany on Nov. 6, immediately following Trump’s historic win, but after the agency was called out on it, it quickly took the message down.
In a letter to Acting Director of the Selective Service System Joel Spangenberg, Chairman Comer requested all documents and communications related to the agency’s internal investigation into the matter. He also called for Spangenberg to personally brief the committee on the incident.
“The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating the Selective Service System’s promotion of a social media post stating individuals are ‘stupid’ if ‘they still believe military service will be voluntary,’ and to ‘[r]emember Germany 1936’ mere days after Americans elected President Donald Trump to be the 47th President of the United States,” Comer wrote. “The Committee is deeply disturbed that an independent federal agency, tasked with registering and maintaining a system of individuals potentially subject to military conscription if authorized by the President and Congress, would re-post a wholly unsubstantiated, false, and contemptible claim.”
Account-holders on X reported that the post was live for more than an hour. The Selective Service has since said it has launched an investigation to determine what happened and to prevent it from occurring in the future.
“Although the Selective Service should continue to investigate this matter and ensure that this not happen again, the individual at fault for reposting such an inappropriate and disturbing message on an Agency X account should be terminated,” Comer said. “In addition, to assist the Committee in investigating this matter, we request a briefing from the Selective Service with Committee staff. Please make arrangements to schedule a briefing with Committee staff on this matter as soon as possible, but no later than December 26, 2024.”
Trump says he has never even considered mandatory conscription.
The Selective Service states on its website: “While there is currently no draft, registration with the Selective Service System is the most publicly visible program during peacetime that ensures operational readiness in a fair and equitable manner. If authorized by the President and Congress, our Agency would rapidly provide personnel to the Department of Defense while at the same time providing an Alternative Service Program for conscientious objectors. Federal Law requires nearly all male U.S. citizens and male immigrants, 18 through 25, register with Selective Service.”
Read the letter to Acting Director Spangenberg here.
