Veterans weigh in on the Trump administration's plan to cut 80K jobs at VA

Jill Smallwood predicted Thursday that the Trump administration’s plan to cut more than 80,000 employees from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs will result in diminished health care and other services for those who served in the military.

“It is shameful,” said Smallwood, 62, an Army Reserve veteran from Pittsburgh’s Lincoln-Lemington neighborhood.

But Brackenridge’s Larry Lehew, an Air Force veteran who said he’s received “fabulous” care at the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center in Oakland, thinks the planned job cuts will streamline operations at the VA and make the agency more efficient.

“There’s redundancy, and all they’re trying to do is save money,” said Lehew, 60, adjutant at Brackenridge American Legion Post 226.

The differing opinions of the Western Pennsylvania veterans reflect what is happening across the country. While many veterans have showed up at lawmakers’ town hall meetings and held protests to criticize planned cuts at the VA, other veterans have expressed their support for the cuts — or, at least for President Donald Trump, whose administration is looking to reduce the size of the VA to 2019 staffing levels.

Veterans were much likelier to support Trump, a Republican, than then-Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat, in November’s presidential election, according to AP VoteCast, which was a survey of the American electorate conducted in all 50 states. Nearly 6 in 10 voters who are veterans backed Trump, while about 4 in 10 voted for Harris.

U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Fox Chapel, a Navy veteran, called the planned job cuts, along with previous cuts already made to the VA since Trump took office, “a betrayal to my fellow veterans.”

Deluzio’s congressional district, which includes part of Allegheny County and all of Beaver County, has about 43,000 military veterans, according to VA data. Pennsylvania is home to nearly 700,000 veterans altogether.

“It will lead to worse care and benefits and service for our veterans. It makes little sense to me,” Deluzio said, adding that more than a quarter of the VA employees who would lose their jobs are veterans themselves.

The VA expanded under the Biden administration. Deluzio said the number of employees had to grow after passage of the PACT Act in 2022, which expanded health care and disability benefits for millions of veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange and other toxic substances during their military service.

Last year, the VA experienced its highest-ever service levels, reaching over 9 million enrollees and delivering more than 127.5 million health care appointments, according to the agency’s figures.

Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins said the planned layoffs would not mean cuts to veterans’ health care or benefits.

“President Trump has a mandate for generational change in Washington, and that’s exactly what we’re going to deliver at the VA,” Collins said in a video posted on social media Wednesday afternoon.

Air Force veteran Bob Collins, 71, of Hempfield said he supports cutting wasteful spending.

“I think the waste needs to be cut. We need to cut where we can,” Collins said, adding that he doesn’t think the changes would impact him directly.

Air Force veteran Don Aston, 65, of Hempfield said he thinks the cuts would make the VA run more efficiently.

“It’s what this administration is doing. It is making the government more efficient, saving the taxpayers money,” said Aston, a Trump supporter.

Smallwood, the Army Reserve veteran from Lincoln-Lemington who opposes the plan to cut 80,000 jobs, said she isn’t opposed to some cost-cutting.

“I’m not saying you can’t cut some spending. But start with where they get their paper towels, cleaning supplies and other government contracts,” she said. “We cannot afford to not support our veterans.”

Air Force veteran George Loughry, 74, of Greensburg also opposes the plan to cut 80,000 jobs.

“They don’t know what they are doing,” Loughry, a Trump opponent, said of the administration.

“I don’t see any reason for it. At least 25% of those who will lose their jobs are actually veterans who did their duty. Those people are being penalized,” Loughry added. “The veterans are not going to benefit, and it’s not going to work. I hope they prove me wrong, but I’m not confident.”

TribLive staff writers Tawnya Panizzi and Shaylah Brown and The Associated Press contributed.