Former President Donald Trump shot down speculation he could institute mandatory military service for young United States citizens.

A Tuesday report from the Washington Post detailed musings from some in Trump’s orbit, suggesting that more should be done to boost military recruitment. Trump interpreted the article as suggesting that he was eyeing instituting mandatory military service, drawing a harsh rebuke.

“The Fake News Washington Post came up with the ridiculous idea that Donald J. Trump will call for Mandatory Military Service,” he said in a post on Truth Social. “This is only a continuation of their EIGHT YEAR failed attempt to damage me with the Voters. The Story is completely untrue. In fact, I never even thought of that idea.”

Trump then went after the newspaper itself, hitting its declining readership.

“Only a degenerate former Newspaper, which has lost 50% of its Readers, would fabricate such a tale,” he added. “Just another Fake Story, one of many, made up by the DEAD Washington Compost!”

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The Washington Post report was centered on the ideas of former Trump officials, especially former Defense Secretary Christopher Miller, who suggested making the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, a standardized military test, mandatory in high schools.

It also mentioned when Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), a potential Trump running mate, suggested in an interview that the U.S. should consider national service of some kind. He clarified that he was not referring to wartime service.