It looks like the US is considering the possibility of World War III and is, therefore, mulling over the idea of military conscription.
The Timing of the Automatic Registration Law is Suspect
Registration into the Selective Service System (SSS) is set to be automatic by the end of 2026.
Normally, when an American male turns 18, he has 30 days to register with the Selective Service System (SSS). The SSS is the agency that provides the government with the necessary details on who is available in times of national emergency.
The requirement to register with the SSS also applies to male immigrant residents aged 18 to 25.
However, the government now wants to automatically register the targeted youths as long as they are of age. Hence, it is no longer up to the individual to initiate the registration.
Why Register with the SSS?
By having men register with the SSS, the country is assured of a reliable database from which to draw names when the military needs a workforce boost. Ordinarily, that would be a time of war.
Apparently, the current situation in the Iran war has revealed a reality the US had hardly considered. It has become clear that the country could find itself in a situation where its military is overwhelmed, and no other country or international body is willing to join the war.
When was the idea of Automatic Registration Mooted?
The SSS submitted its proposal for automatic registration to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in March 2026. This was weeks into the Iran War. It was also after the realization that European countries would not automatically follow the US wishes regarding war.
Probably, if the US still had the conscription law in place, the Trump regime would have declared an emergency and mobilized civilian men of age to board ships to the Strait of Hormuz.
Is it Possible to reinstate the Conscription law?
Under conscription, eligible individuals are required to serve in the military when called upon. However, many Americans consider conscription a bad idea in this era of elaborate personal freedoms.
Yet people’s attitude toward that law may be inconsequential. This is because the Republican Party has the majority in both the Senate and House of Representatives, and the party seems to do President Trump’s bidding.
Moreover, the president may decide to reinstate the Vietnam-era law by a stroke of a pen by invoking the 1973 War Powers Resolution. After all, on February 28th 2026, he bypassed Congress and sent the military to fight Iran as the Commander-in-Chief.