An internal memo has revealed the Donald Trump administration’s plan to cut 80,000 jobs from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as part of a major restructuring.
VA Chief of Staff Christopher Syrek informed top officials Tuesday that the goal is to reduce staff to 2019 levels—just under 400,000 employees—following an expansion during the Biden administration. This includes positions created to support veterans affected by burn pits under the 2022 PACT Act.
The memo, obtained Wednesday, instructs senior staff to prepare for an agency-wide reorganization in August, aiming to “resize and tailor the workforce to the mission and revised structure.” It also directs officials to collaborate with the White House’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to implement changes swiftly yet strategically.
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“This administration is finally going to give veterans what they want,” VA Secretary Doug Collins stated in a social media video, insisting that the layoffs will not impact health care or benefits. “President Trump has a mandate for generational change in Washington, and that’s exactly what we’re going to deliver at the VA.”
However, veterans and advocacy groups have expressed concerns over the cuts, with more than 25% of the VA’s workforce being veterans themselves. The Trump administration’s broader push to downsize federal agencies—led by billionaire Elon Musk under DOGE—has raised alarms even among traditionally bipartisan institutions.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly defended the decision, stating that President Trump “refuses to accept the VA bureaucracy and bloat that has hindered veterans’ ability to receive timely and quality care.”
Despite a record-breaking service year in 2023, with over 9 million enrollees and 127.5 million health care appointments, the VA is already experiencing challenges. Former VA Inspector General Michael Missal, who was recently dismissed as part of Trump’s purge of oversight officials, warned that the agency is losing vital expertise.
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“What’s going to happen is VA’s not going to perform as well for veterans, and veterans are going to get harmed,” Missal said. He also noted that his oversight saved the agency $45 billion during his tenure.
Congressional reaction has been mixed. Some Republicans are wary of the cuts, with Senate Budget Committee Chair Lindsey Graham criticizing the lack of congressional consultation. “Maybe you’ve got a good reason to do it,” Graham said. “But we don’t need to be reading memos in the paper about a 20% cut at the VA.”
Meanwhile, Democrats have condemned the move, with Sen. Richard Blumenthal calling it “an all-out assault” on veterans’ services, prioritizing private sector profits over care. House Democratic Leader Katherine Clark added, “We will not allow our veterans to be defined as government waste.”
As concerns grow over the impact on veterans’ health and services, many are left questioning whether this restructuring will truly benefit those who served—or leave them behind.
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