Government cuts hit veterans especially hard

Recent government cuts implemented by the Trump administration have disproportionately affected veterans, causing significant concern among lawmakers and veterans’ advocacy groups.

New York Times: “About 30 percent of civil service employees in the federal government are veterans, and many have lost jobs in the Trump administration’s drive to cut federal spending. President Trump and Elon Musk, who is leading the cutbacks, have fired about 20,000 workers on probationary status — and about 6,000 were veterans, according to a count by Democrats.”

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) plans to slash its workforce by approximately 80,000 employees, aiming to return to 2019 levels of just under 400,000 workers. This reduction is part of President Trump’s broader initiative to scale back the size of the federal government.

Veterans are particularly vulnerable to these cuts because:

1. They make up about 30% of the federal workforce, compared to only 5% in the private sector
2. Approximately 36% of veterans in civil service (over 200,000) are disabled or have serious health conditions
3. Many veterans view government work as a way to continue serving their country after military duty.

The mass firings and budget reductions are causing veterans to feel “scared and disrespected” by the government they once served, jeopardizing services for vulnerable veteran populations, including paralyzed and homeless veterans.

Political Reaction

The cuts have drawn criticism from both sides of the political aisle. Democratic lawmakers have called them “immoral” and a breach of commitment to veterans. Even some Republican lawmakers are reportedly growing uneasy with their impact on veterans.

As the situation continues to unfold, veterans’ advocacy groups are mobilizing to support affected veterans and pressure the government to reconsider its approach to federal workforce reduction.