American men will be automatically registered for the military draft starting in December
(CNN) — Eligible men in the U.S. will be automatically registered for the military draft starting in December.
Right now, eligible male U.S. citizens ages 18 to 26 are required to register online with the Selective Service System.
However, a new automatic registration process was approved by Congress under the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2026.
President Donald Trump signed the act into law in December, months before the current war with Iran.
The move was made to streamline the previous process and save money.
The automatic draft rule is under review by the Regulatory Affairs Office and is awaiting finalization before it takes effect in December.
CNN reported the rule would apply to all male U.S. citizens and “every other male person” in the country between the ages of 18 and 26. That includes green card holders, refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented men.
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