The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is preparing to eliminate 80,000 jobs as part of a major restructuring effort set to take place this summer, according to an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press. The move is being described as an “aggressive” reorganization under the Trump administration, raising significant concerns among veterans and VA employees.
The memo, written by VA chief of staff Christopher Syrek, outlines plans for a department-wide overhaul beginning in August. It instructs top officials to “resize and tailor the workforce to the mission and revised structure.” The document also directs agency leaders to coordinate with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to “move out aggressively, while taking a pragmatic and disciplined approach” to implementing the administration’s objectives.
The cuts are aimed at reducing the VA workforce to pre-2020 levels, bringing staffing numbers back to where they were in 2019—just under 400,000 employees. This rollback would mean the elimination of tens of thousands of positions that were added during the Biden administration, including those created under the 2022 PACT Act, which expanded health coverage for veterans exposed to toxic burn pits.
The planned job reductions have sparked outrage among veterans and advocacy groups, who argue that these cuts will significantly weaken the care and services provided to those who have served the country. Many veterans, who have already faced long wait times and bureaucratic hurdles at the VA, see this move as a direct betrayal. Some have expressed particular frustration at both Trump and Elon Musk, whose growing influence in government decision-making has raised concerns about privatizing aspects of veteran healthcare.
Veterans’ organizations have voiced strong opposition to the plan, warning that it could result in longer wait times for medical care, reduced access to mental health services, and diminished support for those who rely on VA programs. Critics argue that the administration is prioritizing cost-cutting over the well-being of those who have sacrificed for the nation. The backlash is growing, with some veterans groups organizing protests and calling on Congress to intervene before the cuts take effect.