why did donald trump not serve in vietnam

Donald Trump did not serve in Vietnam because he obtained multiple draft deferments in the 1960s and was later classified as medically unfit for service due to bone spurs in his heels.

Quick Scoop: The Short Version

• Trump received five draft deferments during the Vietnam War era.

• Four deferments were for his college education, which temporarily postponed his eligibility.

• A fifth deferment was granted for a medical reason: bone spurs in his feet, which made him classified as unfit for military service.

• After the medical deferment, he was no longer drafted and did not serve in Vietnam.

How the Draft Worked in Trump’s Case

During the Vietnam War, young American men were subject to conscription (the draft), but there were legal ways to delay or avoid service.

1. Student deferments
   • Trump attended college at Fordham University and then the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in the 1960s.

 * While he was enrolled full-time, he received student deferments that kept him from being drafted during those years.

2. Medical deferment (bone spurs)
   • In 1968, as he was finishing college and becoming fully draft-eligible, Trump was diagnosed with bone spurs in his heels.

 * This condition led to a 1-Y classification (not qualified for service except in national emergency) or similar non-eligible status, effectively removing him from the pool of soldiers sent to Vietnam.

3. High draft lottery number context
   • Records also show Trump had a high lottery number (356 out of 365), which further lowered the chance he would be called up once the medical issue was in place.

What Trump Himself Has Said

Trump has given a mix of regret and justification when asked why he did not serve:

• He has said he was “never a fan” of the Vietnam War and thought it was a “terrible war,” contrasting it with wars like World War II against Nazi Germany.

• At other times, he has said he “would have been honored” to serve and has expressed public regret that he did not go to Vietnam.

This combination of “I didn’t like that war” and “I would have been honored to serve” has fueled debate about how sincere that regret is.

Criticism, Controversy, and Accusations

Because Trump later became a high-profile political figure and now the president, his Vietnam-era record remains a trending topic and a recurring point of criticism.

• Critics, including veterans and politicians, argue that his path reflects how wealthy, well-connected young men often avoided combat while poorer men went to war.

• Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a combat veteran who lost both legs in Iraq, famously nicknamed him “Cadet Bone Spurs,” highlighting the view that he dodged service.

• His former lawyer Michael Cohen testified to Congress that Trump privately admitted the injury was “made up” because “I wasn’t going to Vietnam,” though this remains an allegation, not a court finding.

Some see Trump’s deferments as smart use of the system; others see them as classic draft dodging by someone with privilege.

Wider Context: Was This Common?

Trump was far from alone:

• More than half of the roughly 27 million American men eligible for the draft during the Vietnam era were deferred, exempted, or disqualified in some way.

• College enrollment, marriage, children, and medical grounds were typical routes to avoid or delay service, often easier to access for the educated and well-off.

• Other major political figures, such as Joe Biden and Dick Cheney, also received multiple deferments during the Vietnam era, mainly for education or medical reasons.

So in the broader picture, Trump’s pattern of deferments fits a larger trend of draft avoidance among higher-income Americans in the late 1960s.

Multi‑Viewpoint Takeaways

• Supporters’ view : He followed the law as it existed, used legal deferments like millions of others, and later built a successful career; the focus should be on what he’s done in office, not on choices from his twenties.

• Critics’ view : His deferments, especially the bone spur diagnosis, show he benefited from privilege to avoid combat while poorer men died, and his later comments about war heroes make that history especially troubling.

• Neutral framing : Factually, he did not serve because of a combination of student deferments and a medical classification for bone spurs, aided by a favorable lottery number; the moral judgment is where public opinion divides.

Bottom line: Donald Trump did not serve in Vietnam because he secured four student deferments while in college and then received a medical deferment for bone spurs in his heels, which, combined with a high draft lottery number, kept him out of the war.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.