President Donald Trump announced a new workforce initiative Thursday aimed at transitioning veterans into commercial truck driving positions while removing undocumented immigrants from the industry.
Speaking outside the West Wing, Trump unveiled the “Freedom Haul” program, which will automatically grant commercial driver’s licenses to military service members who drove heavy trucks during their service, provided they apply within two years of leaving the military.
The initiative also includes an accelerated training track for veterans who did not drive trucks in the military. According to Trump, these participants will receive three to four weeks of training before obtaining their licenses.
“They’re going to be given a very quick pass. We’re going to teach them. They’re going to learn,” Trump said. “They’ll be licensed in a matter of a few weeks.”
Trump reported that 34 states have agreed to participate in the program. He cited data indicating that veteran truck drivers are involved in 42 percent fewer accidents than the general driver population. Veterans currently represent one in ten commercial truck drivers nationwide.
Enforcement Actions Against Undocumented Drivers
The president framed the initiative as both a workforce development program and a safety measure, alleging that undocumented immigrants driving commercial vehicles pose significant dangers on American highways.
“For many years, American highways and roadways have been terrorized by unqualified illegal aliens, dangerously driving big rigs,” Trump said. “You have to have a knowledge, you have to have a talent for it, and these people don’t have that.”
Trump criticized state governments for issuing commercial driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants, arguing that language barriers prevent many from reading road signs or understanding traffic regulations.
The president cited specific incidents to support his safety concerns, including an August crash in Florida where an undocumented driver allegedly killed three people while making an illegal U-turn, and a recent Pennsylvania case where a state trooper was killed in a collision involving a Haitian national driving a semi-truck.
According to figures provided by Trump, 20 fatalities in 2025 were attributed to crashes involving undocumented truck drivers.
Recent Policy Changes
The announcement builds on enforcement actions already underway within the administration. In May 2025, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy signed an order strengthening English proficiency requirements for commercial truck drivers.
Trump stated Thursday that his administration has removed 24,000 drivers who cannot speak English from American roadways. Additionally, the federal government has pressured states to cancel more than 28,000 commercial driver’s licenses that were issued to undocumented immigrants.
“We’ve also forced states to cancel more than 28,000 commercial drivers’ licenses unlawfully issued to illegal aliens. They were given illegally,” Trump said.
The “Freedom Haul” initiative represents the administration’s approach to addressing perceived workforce and safety issues simultaneously, offering veterans a streamlined path to employment while tightening eligibility requirements for commercial driving credentials.
The program’s implementation will depend on cooperation from participating states, which will need to establish the expedited licensing processes and training programs outlined in the president’s announcement.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2026/07/30/trump-launches-initiative-to-replace-illegal-alien-truck-drivers-with-veterans/