Donald Trump's military service deferments during the Vietnam War

Donald Trump avoided military service during the Vietnam War through a series of five deferments. Four of these were student deferments obtained while attending Fordham University and the Wharton School, a practice common among young men from wealthy families at the time.

His final deferment in 1972 changed his classification from 1-Y, which required induction only during a national emergency, to 4-F, designating him as unfit for military service due to bone spurs in both heels. While critics have questioned the legitimacy of this medical diagnosis, detailed medical records from that era were destroyed by the Selective Service in 1978, leaving only registration cards and classification histories available.

In comparison, Joe Biden also received five student deferments during the same period but was later classified as 1-Y in April 1968 following a medical examination regarding asthma.