By Victoria Albert and Ken Thomas

The Trump administration is aiming to cut tens of thousands of workers from the Department of Veterans Affairs, officials said Wednesday.

Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins said the department would conduct a broad review of its organization and operations, with a goal of cutting its workforce from about 470,000 to approximately 398,000 people. In a video posted to X, Collins said the cuts wouldn't affect healthcare or benefits for veterans and beneficiaries, adding the department would still be hiring for mission-critical roles.

"For many years, veterans have been asking for a more efficient, accountable and transparent VA," Collins said. "This administration is finally going to give the veterans what they want."

The cuts are slated to occur in August, according to a Tuesday memo from Christopher Syrek, the department's chief of staff. Veteran Affairs will join with the Department of Government Efficiency to "move out aggressively, while taking a pragmatic and disciplined approach to identify and eliminate waste, reduce management and bureaucracy, reduce footprint, and increase workforce efficiency."

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat who is the ranking member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, said the plan outlined in the memo "prioritizes private sector profits over veterans' care, balancing the budget on the backs of those who served."

"It's a shameful betrayal, and veterans will pay the price for their unforgivable corruption, incompetence, and immorality," Blumenthal said.

Write to Victoria Albert at victoria.albert@wsj.com and Ken Thomas at ken.thomas@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 05, 2025 18:52 ET (23:52 GMT)

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