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ASHINGTON — In a recent internal memo obtained by The Associated Press, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is preparing for a major restructuring effort that could see more than 80,000 jobs cut within the extensive agency dedicated to serving veterans.
During a meeting on Tuesday, Christopher Syrek, the VA’s chief of staff, informed senior leaders that the agency intends to scale back its workforce to levels not seen since 2019, which totaled just under 400,000 employees. This ambitious target would require the elimination of tens of thousands of positions, a direct result of the VA’s expansion during the Biden administration and the need to assist veterans impacted by burn pits, as established in the 2022 PACT Act.
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The memo instructs senior officials to gear up for a thorough reorganization of the agency scheduled for August, with the goal of “resizing and realigning the workforce to better fit the agency’s mission and updated structure.” It also calls on officials to work closely with the White House’s Department of Government Efficiency to “act decisively while adhering to a pragmatic and disciplined approach” concerning the initiatives outlined by the Trump administration. Government Executive was the first to report on this internal communication.
Many veterans have voiced their concerns about the ongoing job cuts at the VA, which have already affected thousands of employees and numerous contracts. Notably, veterans comprise over 25% of the VA’s workforce.
The recent shifts at the VA highlight how the Trump administration’s DOGE initiative, led by billionaire Elon Musk, is aggressively pushing for substantial reductions across federal agencies, including those that have historically enjoyed bipartisan support.
Michael Missal, who was the VA’s inspector general for nine years until his dismissal last month amid Trump’s broader campaign against independent oversight officials, told the AP that the VA is already struggling with a lack of “expertise” as senior staff leave or are reassigned under the president’s orders.
“The truth is that the VA will not be able to operate at its best for veterans, which ultimately harms those it is meant to serve,” commented Missal, who attended Trump’s congressional address as a guest of Senator Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.
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Instead of utilizing the missions of inspectors general, whose primary role is to identify waste and fraud in federal agencies, Trump has taken a confrontational approach toward them, ignoring laws requiring a 30-day notice and valid reasons for their dismissals. Missal is currently challenging his firing in court alongside seven other dismissed inspectors general.
Missal described the VA as “a complex and challenging organization” that rivals some of the largest corporations in the United States in scale. He defended his efforts during his tenure to improve the agency’s efficiency and responsiveness to veterans, noting that oversight from the VA inspector general resulted in savings of $45 billion during his leadership.
However, he expressed concern that Trump’s actions against inspectors general are obstructing the ability of those who remain in such positions to effectively carry out their duties.
In Congress, Democratic representatives have condemned the cuts at the VA and other agencies, while Republicans have shown a more cautious approach to the Trump administration’s changes.
Blumenthal, who chairs the Senate committee overseeing veterans’ affairs, stated that the Trump administration “has launched a full-scale offensive” against the progress the VA has made in expanding services as the number of veterans needing care continues to grow, especially those affected by toxic burn pits.
“Their strategy prioritizes private sector profits over the care of veterans, effectively balancing the budget at the expense of those who have served. This constitutes a disgraceful betrayal, and veterans will bear the brunt of this unforgivable corruption, incompetence, and immorality,” Blumenthal commented in a statement.
Democratic leaders in the House also emphasized the implications of Trump’s cuts on veterans during a press conference held on Wednesday.
“Democrats are united in declaring that we will not allow our veterans to be treated as government waste,” asserted Rep. Katherine Clark, the No. 2 Democrat in the House leadership.
Associated Press writer Kevin Freking contributed to this report.
