Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins’ tenure is off to a rocky start. The former Georgia congressman and unapologetic Donald Trump loyalist began by releasing a series of videos assuring that “despite the rhetoric, there would be no cuts at VA.” These videos preceded two rounds of layoffs at the department — first, 1,000 employees, many of them veterans, and then another 1,400 last week. Notably, Collins was not being forced to make these cuts by Trump or the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Instead, he appears to be slashing VA jobs simply to win favor with Trump and Musk.
While Trump’s government proudly touts its “savings,” the reality is that DOGE’s cuts are built on lies, mismanagement, and outright cruelty. The New York Times recently exposed how the department grossly inflated five of its largest cost-cutting claims, citing billions in savings that were either fictional, exaggerated, or predated the organization’s existence. Then it outright deleted these claims from its website.
The number of veterans losing their jobs is damning. Among the 3,700 or so VA employees fired were specialists in PTSD treatment, oncology researchers, and crisis line staffers. One veteran, a suicide prevention counselor, was let go with nothing more than a generic email. Another, a disabled former Army sergeant working in claims processing, was terminated just before his probationary period ended, cutting off his ability to join a union and fight back. Congress estimates that 6,000 veterans have been fired by DOGE, but this number is low. Many former military officers and others do not qualify for veteran status under federal guidelines, even though they are in fact veterans.
With DOGE targeting the Department of Defense — the world’s largest employer of veterans — Congress estimates that up to 50,000 veterans could lose their jobs in the next six months. This would not only cripple the lives of 50,000 of America’s best, but also create a severe economic ripple effect. To make matters worse, the VA cut $2 billion in government contracts, 70 percent of those belong to service disabled veteran-owned businesses. Many of these veterans rely on VA-backed home loans, which could see a spike in defaults, while unemployment claims would surge. The loss of their spending power in concentrated markets would further strain consumer and other economic sectors. In the end, DOGE will cost the American taxpayer far more than it could ever hope to save.
Recently, Musk demanded that all federal employees — including the 30 percent who are veterans — justify their existence in five bullet points or face termination. He then reneged on this ultimatum, only to double down on it later. It’s clear that Musk is not only hopelessly clueless about federal law but also completely incompetent when it comes to leading or managing people. Meanwhile, as he plays these games, our nation’s heroes are left scrambling — forced to consider selling their homes, relocating, returning to school, or selling their belongings just to make rent. This is one of the most disgraceful attacks on American citizens by their own government since the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II (and the U.S. might be headed in that direction soon).
Let’s be clear: DOGE is not about saving money. It’s about weakening public services to justify privatization. The VA, the largest integrated health care system in the country, has long been a target of conservatives who want to dismantle it piece by piece, handing its functions over to private industry. They see veterans not as people who deserve care, but as customers to be exploited for profit. These cuts are part of a larger, coordinated effort to make the VA seem dysfunctional — so that handing it over to for-profit entities seems like the only solution.
As for taking everything that veterans have worked for from right under their feet. The reason for that is far more simple: There is no reason. It’s simply to throw red meat to the thugs on X and Truth Social who want to see the world burn, because their own lives are terrible.
This isn’t about efficiency — it’s about cruelty. Plain and simple. And the group feeling it the most are those who have selflessly given so much to this nation to have it literally thrown back in their face as a reward.
