OAN Staff Blake Wolf
3:06 PM – Tuesday, December 30, 2025
Former NBA star and 2025 Hall of Fame inductee Dwight Howard suggested that President Donald Trump implement at least one year of mandatory military service for U.S. citizens, sparking a heated online debate.
In a Sunday X post, Howard floated the idea, writing, “Random. I honestly feel like the president should make one year of service mandatory for everyone born in America. A lot of other countries do it. And I think it would help with discipline and structure. I’m curious what yall think would this help America or nah.”
Although a number of responding comments agreed with Howard’s idea, the vast majority expressed opposition.
“You want to be forced to go to war for foreign and special interests? No,” wrote former Infowars host Owen Shroyer.
“I feel like that spits in the face of everything that this country stands for,” another responded.
“That would go against the freedom component of this country. Taking away your autonomy to make the decision to take the risk or not would fly in the face of the spirit of our country,” a third user added.
While Howard’s proposal was met with significant pushback, former ESPN commentator Sage Steele signaled her support for the idea. Echoing the sentiment that military discipline could benefit the next generation.
“I’ve always said a military type boot camp would be amazing for young men-who will quickly learn to become MEN. Structure. Accountability. Leadership. Priceless! And some sort of comm. Service for women who don’t want to do boot camp. Double all of it for immigrants,” she said.
A separate social media user also chimed in to suggest that “one year of customer service of any type (retail, serving, bartending, phones, etc) would help this country all understand each other and maybe even get along better.”
“I think military service would be better [than customer service]. Learn how to defend yourself. Shoot and handle guns properly. The bond and respect for each other would go up,” Howard responded to the online user.
The debate later intensified when Howard was challenged on his own service record.
He replied by sharing a picture of himself in full military gear, though critics were quick to point out — and Howard eventually confirmed — that the photo was from his stint on a 2023 reality show where celebrities undergo grueling Special Forces training.
“Bro really posted a pic of himself on a reality show,” a user responded back, prompting Howard to assert that he and the other contestants on that show “got set on fire, tear-gassed, had to do every single thing that people in special forces do, only supporting my case that people should get the necessary training.”
“Served in a reality tv show for an hour now he thinks he can tell everyone to join the military,” another user responded. “This is not serving your country. I can understand and support the idea that everyone should serve. But it’s hypocritical for anyone who didn’t to then turn around and say everyone should.”
Howard’s 18-season NBA journey began as the first overall pick for the Orlando Magic in 2004, where he established himself as the league’s premier defensive force and led the franchise to the 2009 NBA Finals.
Over the next decade, the eight-time All-Star transitioned into a seasoned veteran, completing stints with the Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards, and Philadelphia 76ers.
Most notably, he spent three separate one-year terms with the Los Angeles Lakers, a tenure that culminated in his first NBA championship in 2020. A three-time Defensive Player of the Year and 2025 Hall of Fame inductee, Howard eventually moved his career overseas to Taiwan and Southeast Asia, leaving a legacy defined by both his early “Superman” dominance and late-career resilience.
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