Sharp Decline in White Recruits in US Army

The proportion of white recruits fell from 56.4% in 2018 to 44% in 2023, contributing to a shortfall in the army's enlistment target.

The US army has seen a significant drop in the number of white recruits, falling from 44,042 in 2018 to 25,070 in 2023, a six per cent reduction in just one year.
The proportion of white recruits fell from 56.4 per cent in 2018 to 44 per cent in 2023, while the proportions of black and Hispanic recruits increased.
The army fell 10,000 short of its 65,000 enlistment target in 2023, with some attributing this shortfall to the decrease in white recruits.
US Army Secretary Christine Wormuth has described the situation as 'serious', citing fears of death or injury and leaving home as barriers to enlistment.
Some suggest the military's focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and the politicization of the military under the Biden administration may be factors in the decline of white recruits.