Story perspectives

Veteran CDL Waiver Extended, 1,400 Hires, Illegal Drivers Ousted

7/31/2026

Center

Trump Launches FreedomHaulers

U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled the “Freedom Haulers” program to recruit veterans as truck drivers at the White House on July 30, 2026.
The plan involves the Departments of Transportation, Labor, Veterans Affairs, Defense and FMCSA, which extended the military skills-test waiver to 24 months.
Werner Enterprises pledged to hire 1,400 veterans and spouses through the initiative.
Thirty-four states joined Even Exchange program, and VA will fund 100 % of CDL tuition.

Right

Trump Recruits Veterans

U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled the “Freedom Haulers” initiative to recruit military veterans as truck drivers at the White House on July 30, 2026.
The plan couples veteran hiring with a crackdown on illegal-immigrant truck drivers, aiming to boost highway safety.
Administration data show veteran truck drivers have 42 % fewer accidents than non-veteran drivers.
DOT reports over 24,000 non-English-speaking commercial drivers removed from roads.

Blindspot

The initiative pairs veteran hiring with a crackdown on illegal-immigrant truck drivers, and the Department of Transportation says more than 24,000 non-English-speaking commercial drivers have been removed from the roads.
Within this story's sources, this angle appears mainly in Right-leaning coverage and receives less attention in Center-leaning coverage.

History

Historical Context

Federal veterans' hiring began with the 1865 preference law and was codified by the Veterans' Preference Act of 1944, granting priority to veterans. President Bill Clinton’s 1996 Veterans' Employment Opportunities Act allocated $1.2 billion, and by 1998 the American Trucking Associations recorded 1,400 veterans entering trucking. The 2026 Freedom Haulers program, with Werner Enterprises under a DOT waiver, revives the tradition to ease driver shortages.

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Trump Launches FreedomHaulers

U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled the “Freedom Haulers” program to recruit veterans as truck drivers at the White House on July 30, 2026.
The plan involves the Departments of Transportation, Labor, Veterans Affairs, Defense and FMCSA, which extended the military skills-test waiver to 24 months.
Werner Enterprises pledged to hire 1,400 veterans and spouses through the initiative.
Thirty-four states joined Even Exchange program, and VA will fund 100 % of CDL tuition.

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