Leaked memo reveals around 80,000 jobs at risk! Major workforce shake-up under Trump administration.
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A leaked internal memo has sent shockwaves through the corridors of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), hinting at a drastic reorganization that could see around 80,000 employees cut from its ranks, as per various sources.
This news is particularly unsettling for the millions of veterans who rely on the VA for essential health care and services.
The memo suggests that the Trump administration is considering a return to the staffing levels of 2019, which would mean terminating tens of thousands of employees.
This comes after an expansion during the Biden administration and the recent inclusion of veterans affected by burn pits under the 2022 PACT Act.
VA Chief of Staff Christopher Syrek has directed top-level officials to prepare for an agency-wide reorganization slated for August. The return to 2019 staffing levels would lead to just under 400,000 employees left in the VA.
The goal is to “resize and tailor the workforce to the mission and revised structure,” calling for agency officials to align with the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, spearheaded by billionaire Elon Musk. The officials are also tasked to “move out aggressively, while taking a pragmatic and disciplined approach”.
Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins took to social media to reassure the public that the layoffs would not impact veterans' health care or benefits.
“This administration is finally going to give the veterans what they want,” Collins stated, echoing President Trump's call for “generational change in Washington.”
"This will be a thorough and thoughtful review based on input from career VA employees, senior executives as well as the top VA leaders," he said.
Collins stated that the VA workforce reductions amount to a 15% decrease but assured that there would be no cuts to health care or benefits. He emphasized that the department is still actively hiring for more than 300,000 "mission-critical" positions to safeguard health care and benefits for VA beneficiaries.
The directive emphasizes that achieving the initiative’s goals will require full collaboration among all VA staff and organizations, along with coordination with DOGE and the broader administration.
It outlines a timeline for executing the workforce reduction and reorganization plan, beginning this month and concluding with terminations by the end of the fiscal year on September 30.
As part of his government-cutting initiative, Mr. Trump introduced a deferred resignation program for the entire federal workforce, which includes over 2 million employees. This program allowed workers to resign while still receiving full pay and benefits until September 30.
According to the White House, approximately 75,000 employees accepted the offer—far fewer than the 200,000 originally expected to participate in the so-called buyout.
Source: @SecVetAffairs / X.
The ongoing plans at the VA highlight how the Trump administration’s DOGE initiative, spearheaded by billionaire Elon Musk, is aggressively pushing to downsize federal agencies—even those that have historically received bipartisan backing.
However, the proposed cuts have already sparked outcry among veterans and their advocates. With over 25% of the VA's workforce being veterans themselves, veterans have already started speaking out against these cuts.
Gregg Bafundo, a former Marine mortarman who served during the first Gulf War, suffers from nerve damage in his feet due to carrying heavy loads. After being laid off from his job as a wilderness ranger and firefighter with the US Forest Service, he fears he may have to rely on the VA for medical care.
“They’re going to put guys like me and my fellow Marines that rely on the VA in the ground,” said Bafundo, 53, who resides in Tonasket, Washington.
Joy Ilem, national legislative director for the nonpartisan group Disabled American Veterans, said her organization is assessing how the ongoing cuts could impact veterans’ care.
“You could lose trust among the veteran population over some of these things that have happened and the way that they’ve happened,” Ilem cautioned. “And we do fear damage to the recruitment and retention of hiring the best and brightest to serve veterans.”
Ragsdale Combs, 45, sustained a head injury while rushing to respond to an order on an aircraft carrier, striking his head above a hatchway. He relies on group therapy to manage mental illness caused by the injury but has heard that those sessions may be canceled or reduced due to staffing shortages.
“I’m deeply concerned because the VA has been nothing but great to me,” said Combs, who lives in Mesa, Arizona. “I’m angry, upset, and frustrated.”
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly stated that the president “refuses to accept the VA bureaucracy and bloat that has hindered veterans’ ability to receive timely and quality care.” She further emphasized that the proposed changes aim to “ensure greater efficiency and transparency” within the VA.
The VA's service levels reached an all-time high last year, with over 9 million enrollees and more than 127.5 million health care appointments delivered.
The move has raised concerns about the VA's ability to maintain its quality of service. Michael Missal, the former VA inspector general who was dismissed last month, warned that the VA might not perform as well for veterans, potentially leading to harm.
He shared that the VA is already suffering from a lack of “expertise” given that top-level officials either leave or are moved around due to the president’s plans.
“What will happen is that the VA won’t perform as effectively for veterans, ultimately putting them at risk,” said Missal expressed.
Missal's tenure as inspector general reportedly resulted in $45 billion saved at the agency, but Trump's actions against inspectors general have cast a shadow over their ability to effectively oversee government agencies.
In Congress, the response has been mixed. Democrats have condemned the cuts, while Republicans have approached the administration's changes with caution.
Rep. Mike Bost, the Republican chair of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, has expressed his intent to monitor the situation closely, particularly in light of the PACT Act's implementation.
“I have questions about the impact these reductions and discussions could have on the delivery of services, especially following the implementation of the PACT Act,” Bost added.
Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, the Republican chair of the Senate Budget Committee, expressed frustration that the VA had not informed lawmakers in advance about the changes, calling it “political malpractice not to consult Congress.”
“Maybe you have a valid reason for it,” he said, “but we shouldn’t be finding out from newspaper memos about a 20% cut at the VA.”
Veterans groups are understandably worried, with concerns about layoffs and confusion over the potential impact on services.
Brent Reiffer, a Marine veteran and advocate with the Wounded Warrior Project, highlighted the frustration and confusion that could lead veterans to disengage from the VA, depriving them of the care they deserve.
“If you follow that to its conclusion, sometimes the veteran just gives up and stops going to the VA,” Reiffer explained. “The result is that many veterans end up not receiving the care they rightfully deserve.”
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a leading Democrat on the Senate committee overseeing veterans' affairs, has accused the Trump administration of prioritizing private sector profits over veterans' care, calling it a “shameful betrayal.”
“Their plan prioritizes private sector profits over veterans’ care, balancing the budget on the backs of those who served. It’s a shameful betrayal, and veterans will pay the price for their unforgivable corruption, incompetence, and immorality,” Blumenthal said in a statement.
How do you feel about the potential cuts to the VA? What experiences have you or your loved ones had with VA services? Share your thoughts and stories in the comments below!
This news is particularly unsettling for the millions of veterans who rely on the VA for essential health care and services.
The memo suggests that the Trump administration is considering a return to the staffing levels of 2019, which would mean terminating tens of thousands of employees.
This comes after an expansion during the Biden administration and the recent inclusion of veterans affected by burn pits under the 2022 PACT Act.
VA Chief of Staff Christopher Syrek has directed top-level officials to prepare for an agency-wide reorganization slated for August. The return to 2019 staffing levels would lead to just under 400,000 employees left in the VA.
The goal is to “resize and tailor the workforce to the mission and revised structure,” calling for agency officials to align with the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, spearheaded by billionaire Elon Musk. The officials are also tasked to “move out aggressively, while taking a pragmatic and disciplined approach”.
The Department of Veterans Affairs plans to cut over around 80,000 jobs as part of a reorganization to return to 2019 staffing levels. Image source: LiveNOW from FOX / Youtube.
Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins took to social media to reassure the public that the layoffs would not impact veterans' health care or benefits.
“This administration is finally going to give the veterans what they want,” Collins stated, echoing President Trump's call for “generational change in Washington.”
"This will be a thorough and thoughtful review based on input from career VA employees, senior executives as well as the top VA leaders," he said.
Collins stated that the VA workforce reductions amount to a 15% decrease but assured that there would be no cuts to health care or benefits. He emphasized that the department is still actively hiring for more than 300,000 "mission-critical" positions to safeguard health care and benefits for VA beneficiaries.
The directive emphasizes that achieving the initiative’s goals will require full collaboration among all VA staff and organizations, along with coordination with DOGE and the broader administration.
It outlines a timeline for executing the workforce reduction and reorganization plan, beginning this month and concluding with terminations by the end of the fiscal year on September 30.
As part of his government-cutting initiative, Mr. Trump introduced a deferred resignation program for the entire federal workforce, which includes over 2 million employees. This program allowed workers to resign while still receiving full pay and benefits until September 30.
According to the White House, approximately 75,000 employees accepted the offer—far fewer than the 200,000 originally expected to participate in the so-called buyout.
Source: @SecVetAffairs / X.
The ongoing plans at the VA highlight how the Trump administration’s DOGE initiative, spearheaded by billionaire Elon Musk, is aggressively pushing to downsize federal agencies—even those that have historically received bipartisan backing.
However, the proposed cuts have already sparked outcry among veterans and their advocates. With over 25% of the VA's workforce being veterans themselves, veterans have already started speaking out against these cuts.
Gregg Bafundo, a former Marine mortarman who served during the first Gulf War, suffers from nerve damage in his feet due to carrying heavy loads. After being laid off from his job as a wilderness ranger and firefighter with the US Forest Service, he fears he may have to rely on the VA for medical care.
“They’re going to put guys like me and my fellow Marines that rely on the VA in the ground,” said Bafundo, 53, who resides in Tonasket, Washington.
Joy Ilem, national legislative director for the nonpartisan group Disabled American Veterans, said her organization is assessing how the ongoing cuts could impact veterans’ care.
“You could lose trust among the veteran population over some of these things that have happened and the way that they’ve happened,” Ilem cautioned. “And we do fear damage to the recruitment and retention of hiring the best and brightest to serve veterans.”
Ragsdale Combs, 45, sustained a head injury while rushing to respond to an order on an aircraft carrier, striking his head above a hatchway. He relies on group therapy to manage mental illness caused by the injury but has heard that those sessions may be canceled or reduced due to staffing shortages.
“I’m deeply concerned because the VA has been nothing but great to me,” said Combs, who lives in Mesa, Arizona. “I’m angry, upset, and frustrated.”
The cuts are intended to improve efficiency and reduce bureaucracy, but have caused concern among veterans and lawmakers. Image source: PBS News / Youtube.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly stated that the president “refuses to accept the VA bureaucracy and bloat that has hindered veterans’ ability to receive timely and quality care.” She further emphasized that the proposed changes aim to “ensure greater efficiency and transparency” within the VA.
The VA's service levels reached an all-time high last year, with over 9 million enrollees and more than 127.5 million health care appointments delivered.
The move has raised concerns about the VA's ability to maintain its quality of service. Michael Missal, the former VA inspector general who was dismissed last month, warned that the VA might not perform as well for veterans, potentially leading to harm.
He shared that the VA is already suffering from a lack of “expertise” given that top-level officials either leave or are moved around due to the president’s plans.
“What will happen is that the VA won’t perform as effectively for veterans, ultimately putting them at risk,” said Missal expressed.
Missal's tenure as inspector general reportedly resulted in $45 billion saved at the agency, but Trump's actions against inspectors general have cast a shadow over their ability to effectively oversee government agencies.
In Congress, the response has been mixed. Democrats have condemned the cuts, while Republicans have approached the administration's changes with caution.
Rep. Mike Bost, the Republican chair of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, has expressed his intent to monitor the situation closely, particularly in light of the PACT Act's implementation.
“I have questions about the impact these reductions and discussions could have on the delivery of services, especially following the implementation of the PACT Act,” Bost added.
The Trump administration's DOGE initiative, to streamline federal agencies, is driving these sweeping changes. Image source: LiveNOW from FOX / Youtube.
Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, the Republican chair of the Senate Budget Committee, expressed frustration that the VA had not informed lawmakers in advance about the changes, calling it “political malpractice not to consult Congress.”
“Maybe you have a valid reason for it,” he said, “but we shouldn’t be finding out from newspaper memos about a 20% cut at the VA.”
Veterans groups are understandably worried, with concerns about layoffs and confusion over the potential impact on services.
Brent Reiffer, a Marine veteran and advocate with the Wounded Warrior Project, highlighted the frustration and confusion that could lead veterans to disengage from the VA, depriving them of the care they deserve.
“If you follow that to its conclusion, sometimes the veteran just gives up and stops going to the VA,” Reiffer explained. “The result is that many veterans end up not receiving the care they rightfully deserve.”
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a leading Democrat on the Senate committee overseeing veterans' affairs, has accused the Trump administration of prioritizing private sector profits over veterans' care, calling it a “shameful betrayal.”
“Their plan prioritizes private sector profits over veterans’ care, balancing the budget on the backs of those who served. It’s a shameful betrayal, and veterans will pay the price for their unforgivable corruption, incompetence, and immorality,” Blumenthal said in a statement.
How do you feel about the potential cuts to the VA? What experiences have you or your loved ones had with VA services? Share your thoughts and stories in the comments below!
