Trump’s Massive Cuts to the VA Betrays Veterans Like Me

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As a disabled veteran, I have relied on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) since 1999. The VA has been there for me through many challenges, from the rupture of an ovarian cyst to the debilitating migraines that affected my daily life. Most notably, during my stroke in 2019, the VA managed my care, facilitated my rehabilitation, and literally helped me regain my independence.

However, the Trump administration, with the support of new VA Secretary Doug Collins, is planning to cut 83,000 jobs at the VA, reverting to staffing levels not seen since 2019. This move threatens the very foundation of the care that veterans like myself and millions of others depend on. It’s not just irresponsible; it’s a profound betrayal of every veteran who has served this country.

The VA’s mission, reaffirmed in 2023, is to “fulfill President Lincoln’s promise to care for those who have served in our nation’s military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors.” Cutting jobs undermines that promise and violates the commitment owed to those who defended our nation—on a service that countless individuals rely on.

The statistics speak for themselves. In 2021, 52% of veterans utilized at least one VA benefit or service, and 6.2 million veterans accessed VA healthcare. Following the enactment of the PACT Act in August 2022, nearly 740,000 new veterans enrolled in VA benefits, including over 333,000 from the PACT Act population—veterans from Vietnam, the Gulf War, and Post-9/11 conflicts. In just over two years since the PACT Act was enacted, the VA has provided essential healthcare and benefits to millions of veterans and survivors impacted by toxic exposure.

In fact, the demand for VA healthcare is not diminishing; it is increasing at an alarming rate. This is why reverting VA staffing to 2019 levels will have disastrous consequences. Since then, the veteran population seeking care has expanded, with more veterans aging into the system and needing specialized treatment for combat-related injuries, PTSD, and illnesses from toxic exposure. Reducing staffing to pre-pandemic levels disregards these realities, resulting in longer wait times, diminished specialized care, and potentially life-saving treatments becoming scarce. Veterans will suffer, and some may even die awaiting the care they were promised. This isn’t merely a policy decision; it is a failure of duty, plain and simple.

But the betrayal extends further. Thousands of veterans work for the VA, dedicated to assisting their fellow service members. These job cuts will not only impact veterans seeking care but also those committed to providing that care. The VA was established to support those who have sacrificed for this nation—why is this administration turning its back on us?

Read More: Veterans Fired From Federal Government Jobs Feel ‘Betrayed’ by Trump

My concern isn’t just for myself—I am deeply worried about senior veterans, those with severe combat injuries, survivors of military sexual trauma (MST), and individuals grappling with PTSD. They will be the hardest hit by this cruel decision. With alarming suicide rates among veterans—an estimated 17 veterans take their own lives every day according to a 2024 VA report—cutting essential support will only exacerbate this crisis, leaving our most vulnerable without the care they urgently need and deserve.

When we abandon our veterans, we abandon the core values this nation professes to uphold—duty, honor, and commitment. This issue transcends policy; it is about people—those who have risked everything for this country, only to be neglected when they need assistance most. If we allow this to occur, we are not only failing veterans; we are failing as a nation. The cost of inaction is measured in lost lives, shattered families, and the erosion of trust between those who serve and the country they swore to protect. We cannot call ourselves a nation that supports its troops if we turn our backs on them when they need us the most.

If these cuts proceed, how many veterans will suffer? How many will be lost? It’s important to note that more than one-third of veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan have been diagnosed with PTSD, and that figure is likely understated as it only reflects those who seek help through the VA. Additionally, there are hundreds of thousands of Vietnam veterans and veterans from other conflicts who also battle PTSD, TBI, and MST.