Massive Federal Layoffs Target Veterans, Threatening Jobs and Services

The Department of Veterans Affairs plans to cut tens of thousands of jobs, sparking fears of reduced care and benefits for millions of veterans.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced plans to cut 80,000 jobs, reducing its workforce by 15%, as part of a government-wide restructuring under the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Veterans, who make up 30% of the federal workforce, are disproportionately impacted, with many probationary employees already laid off and others fearing for their job security.
Critics, including lawmakers and veterans' advocacy groups, warn that the layoffs could harm veterans' access to health care, benefits, and essential services, despite VA assurances that these areas will remain unaffected.
The restructuring also includes the cancellation of hundreds of VA contracts, some of which employees and experts argue are critical to patient safety, such as those for medical equipment sterilization and PTSD research.
Democratic lawmakers have condemned the cuts as a betrayal of veterans, while some Republicans argue the changes are necessary to improve efficiency and accountability within the VA.