California Gov. Gavin Newsom — an expected Democratic presidential candidate in 2028 — is raising the prospect of requiring Americans to complete a set period of national service, suggesting commitments ranging from at least six months to as long as a year and a half.
During a taped interview at John’s Grill in San Francisco, Politico’s Jonathan Martin asked Newsom whether the US should adopt compulsory military service or some form of volunteer obligations.
“I think we have to look at ways we can frame a responsibility to serve for a year, 6 months minimum — year, 18 months,” said Newsom, who did not serve in the US military.
He added: “This notion of shared experiences — I don’t know how else you get this country back together.”
The comments come as policymakers and military leaders continue to grapple with recruiting shortfalls and broader questions about civic participation, though Newsom did not outline a specific proposal or limit the idea to military service alone.
Newsom’s office declined to provide clarification on the governor’s remarks.
The United States currently operates an all-volunteer military, a system that has been in place since 1973 following the end of the Vietnam War draft.
Men between ages 18 to 25 are still required to register with the Selective Service System in case a draft is reinstated during a national emergency.
The federal government used drafts during the Revolutionary War, Civil War, both World Wars, the Korean War and Vietnam. The modern draft system was formalized in 1940, marking the first peacetime conscription in American history, and remained in place for more than three decades before shifting to a volunteer force.
Newsom, whose presidential ambitions are well known as he recently finished a prerequisite book tour, did not indicate to Politico whether he would pursue the idea of compulsory military service as part of a policy agenda.
However, his remarks could become a focal point of a campaign and carry more weight amid rising tensions involving Israel and Iran, which have unsettled global energy markets and strained relations among US allies and adversaries.
The White House did not dispel rumors earlier this month that President Trump may consider reinstituting the draft. After the draft ended, Congress preserved the infrastructure to restart it if needed. Resuming the draft would require congressional authorization and a presidential order.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that Trump “wisely does not remove options off of the table,” while adding that there are no plans to put troops on the ground.
During the Politico interview, Newsom discussed his spats with Trump and the threats he sees to democracy.
“I know two wrongs don’t make a right, but with all due respect — we’ll lose this country as we try to win that argument,” Newsom said.
“And Democrats are constantly trying to be right. The other side is ruthless. And with respect, my party needs to be more ruthless about winning because if we don’t win back the House of Representatives, we may not have a fair and free election in 2028.”
Last September, Newsom launched the California Men’s Service Challenge, which set a goal of getting 10,000 men to volunteer as mentors, coaches and tutors.
“Too many young men and boys are suffering in silence — disconnected from community, opportunity and even their own families,” Newsom said in a statement at the time.
“This action is about turning that around. It’s about showing every young man that he matters, he has purpose, and he has a community.”
A congressionally created panel — the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service — spent two years studying whether the U.S. should expand service requirements, ultimately rejecting mandatory national service in its 2020 report.
The bipartisan group instead recommended significantly expanding voluntary programs like AmeriCorps and improving military recruitment.
