Trump administration officials are gearing up for major overhauls at the Department of Veterans Affairs, with leaked documents revealing plans for significant staffing cuts beginning in June. The move could impact tens of thousands of employees, including many veterans themselves, as part of broader efforts to streamline government operations and reduce federal spending.
But this isn’t about cutting funds for veterans – it’s about streamlining the department to ensure the best service to those it’s designed to help.
At a glance:
• An internal VA memo reveals plans for mass layoffs starting in June 2025
• Approximately 25% of the VA’s 470,000 employees are veterans who could lose their jobs
• The VA recently laid off 2,400 federal employees
• Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins has warned veterans that changes are coming
• The plan is part of broader Trump administration efforts to reduce the federal workforce
VA Planning Department-Wide Reduction in Force
An internal memo from the Department of Veterans Affairs has revealed plans for a “Department-wide Reduction In Force” (RIF) set to begin in June. And Trump’s planning on making the department work better for the people it’s meant to help.
The document instructs the VA’s human resources department to review agency operations by June, after which the layoffs will commence.
Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins has already begun preparing veterans for the coming changes, telling them to “get used to it.” The administration argues that the VA’s bureaucracy and inefficiencies are hampering service delivery despite recent improvements in healthcare wait times.
Thousands of Veterans Could Lose Federal Jobs
The planned cuts could have severe consequences for veterans employed by the department. With approximately 25% of the VA’s 470,000 employees being veterans themselves, as many as 20,000 veterans could lose their jobs if the cuts exceed 80,000 positions.
“VA will initiate Department-wide RIF actions,” states the leaked memo, signaling the administration’s determination to reduce the agency’s workforce. This follows a recent round of layoffs that already eliminated 2,400 federal positions within the department.
The VA layoffs appear to be part of the Trump administration’s larger effort to shrink the federal workforce. Elon Musk, who leads the Department of Government Efficiency, has already reduced federal employment by approximately 100,000 positions through layoffs and buyouts.
These cuts come after the Biden administration significantly expanded the VA workforce, hiring 61,000 new employees in fiscal year 2023 alone. Collins has emphasized that current inefficiencies are “getting in the way of customer convenience and service to veterans,” suggesting the department needs restructuring.
