STAT+: Trump promised redemption for troops who refused Covid shots. A year later, many are still waiting

Reinstatement is taking longer than expected for troops who left the military A staff sergeant administers a Covid vaccine at Otis Air National Guard Base in Massachusetts. Service members who refused the vaccine have had a difficult time being reinstated.Kerri Spero/Department of Defense July 23, 2026 Rosenbaum, an investigative reporter at The War Horse, spoke with four service members who are trying to get reinstated and reviewed military records and court records for this story. STAT is co-publishing this article by The War Horse, an award-winning nonprofit news organization educating the public on military service and veterans. When the Covid-19 vaccine was released in 2020, Daniel Pendergast was intrigued. “I honestly thought it sounded kind of ingenious at first,” he said. STAT+ Exclusive Story Already have an account? Log in This article is exclusive to STAT+ subscribers Unlock this article — plus daily intelligence on Capitol Hill and the life sciences industry — by subscribing to STAT+. Already have an account? Log in View All Plans To read the rest of this story subscribe to STAT+. Subscribe Leah Rosenbaum is an investigative reporter at The War Horse, a nonprofit newsroom that covers the true cost of military service and holds the military-industrial complex accountable. She can be reached via email at [email protected] and on Signal at leahrosenbaum.01.