Cowboys, fighter jets and the US Border Patrol – in Trump’s big recruiting trip

He found the feeling of patriotism and solidarity appealing, as well as “trying to make a difference for your country… and trying to do something yourself”.

The teenager added that “most” of his boyfriends and girlfriends are considering a career in the military or a similar career – and recent recruitment numbers have boosted demand.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, the Border Patrol received 34,650 applications between January and April 2025 — a 44 percent increase over the same four-month period in 2024. DHS has received significant funding for incentives thanks to a “historic increase” in Trump administration policies.

Potential recruits left the booth with signing bonuses of up to $60,000 and fliers advertising salaries starting at $50,741, which could go as high as $110,563.

Weeks before the rodeo, he expressed similar motivations for exploring joining an Army veteran at another Colorado Springs Border Patrol event. Mike, 40, feels “stagnant” in his current job as a corrections officer and misses the sense of “belonging” he had in the military.

“Even though I’ve hung up my uniform, I’ve never stopped serving and I feel an obligation to protect the citizens of the country,” he said, adding that he loves policing America’s borders.

“I’ve seen a lot of things on the news … people are not good people, people are being trafficked, drugs are being smuggled in,” he said.

He said he gravitated toward border patrol over agencies like the ICA.

“I want to know that I’m protecting the country instead of deporting people.”

But the Border Patrol must compete for new recruits with their counterparts in the Space Force and Air Force National Guard — the latter of which has released a trampoline that has drawn much public interest.

In the year The Space Force, created by Trump in 2019, is tasked with protecting American interests “in, from, and into space.” It has also been amid a hiring boom that exceeded targets.

“The service is looking to double in size over the next five years,” a spokesperson told the BBC. In February, the Space Force said it exceeded its annual recruitment goal by 125 percent.