Trump Announces Automatic Commercial Licenses for Military Truck Veterans

President Donald Trump announced on July 15, 2026, that any veteran who has driven a heavy truck for the military will automatically qualify for a commercial driver’s license. Washington Examiner reported that he made the statement at the Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit. Trump said the change would allow veterans to replace illegal truck drivers being removed from the roads.

“We’re going to take our veterans, we’re going to make them, we’re going to teach them a lot about driving trucks,” he said. “And in many cases, they know. We’re going to say any American who’s driven a heavy truck for our military will automatically be eligible for a commercial driver’s license.

He added that his administration would take action against illegal alien truck drivers, citing cases where drivers could not read signs or were under the influence. Trump referenced the death earlier this month of Pennsylvania state trooper Michael Pahira Jr. in a crash with tractor-trailer driver Michael Bon.

Bon, from Haiti, received legal status under the Biden administration and settled in Massachusetts. He was approved for CDL renewal in February after applying in March 2025. His humanitarian parole ended in June 2025.

Massachusetts officials said he remained eligible for the license because no removal order had been issued at the time of application. His defense attorney stated that a work permit had been granted during asylum proceedings and that an untreated medical condition may have contributed to the crash.

Over the past year the Trump administration has rescinded 28,000 illegally issued CDLs and is pursuing 194,000 additional holders.