Trump signs executive order establishing Military Spouse Commission opening direct line with military families
President Donald Trump signs an executive order establishing the President's Military Spouse Commission, as he is joined by Jennifer Rauchet (L) and U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (2L) in the Oval Office at the White House on August 03, 2026 in W
President Donald Trump signed an executive order in the Oval Office Monday, establishing the Military Spouse Commission to advise the president on policies affecting military spouses and families.
What we know:
The commission will provide annual recommendations to improve military families' quality of life while strengthening military readiness offering advice on childcare, employment, housing and healthcare for military families.
The commission is designed to give the White House a direct line to the challenges facing military spouses, including childcare, employment, housing, healthcare, education and the demands of multiple deployments.
What they're saying:
"America cannot have the strongest military in the world without the love and devotion of our remarkable military spouses, who make the extraordinary sacrifices for our country," said Trump.
Dig deeper:
The commission will be chaired by Jennifer Hegseth, the wife of Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Christie Mullin, wife of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who was appointed to serve as executive director, and 20 other military spouses representing the service secretaries, Joint Chiefs of Staff and each branch's senior enlisted leader will serve as commission members.
According to the Blue Star Families' latest Military Family Lifestyle Survey, military spouse employment and pay are the top concerns for active-duty military families, followed by time away from family, childcare, housing and housing allowances, and children's education.
By the numbers:
According to the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC), as of May 31, the U.S. military has a total combined active duty and reserve force of 2,076,425 personnel.
The Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC), as of May 31, there are 1,350,930 active duty personnel —
- Army: 457,347
- Navy: 348,298
- Marine Corps: 169,771
- Air Force: 321,104
- Space Force: 10,288
- Coast Guard: 44,122
The Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC), as of May 31, there are 725,495 reserve personnel —
- ArmY National Guard: 330,372
- Army Reserve: 171,383
- Navy Reserve: 58,754
- Marine Corps Reserve: 32,577
- Air National Guard: 89,250
- Air Force Reserve: 50,631
- Space Force: 10,288
- Coast Guard Reserve: 5,094
The Source: This article includes information from the White House, the Defense Manpower Data Center, and FOX News. This story was reported from Orlando.