Federal government to auto-enroll men 18-26 in military draft registry starting December 2026

The U.S. federal government will begin automatically registering eligible men ages 18 to 26 for the military draft pool in December 2026, according to new rules included in the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act. The United States has not conducted a military draft since 1973 but maintains a registry of eligible men for potential future conscription. The automatic enrollment represents a policy shift from the current opt-in registration system. Edward Hasbrouck, an organizer with draft resistance advocacy groups, was interviewed about the implications of the change.