Trump’s VA Overhaul: Veteran Advocate Backs 15% Job Cuts for Better Care

President Donald Trump’s Veterans Affairs Secretary, Doug Collins, is pushing a bold plan to slash 15% of the VA workforce, targeting 80,000 jobs. The move aims to streamline operations and prioritize veterans’ care, but it’s stirring debate. Retired Lt. Col. Jim Whaley, CEO of Mission Roll Call, backs the overhaul, arguing it’s long overdue to cut bureaucracy and boost community care for faster, local services.

Whaley, a veteran himself, told WTFNewsRoom that veterans are fed up with long wait times and want every taxpayer dollar spent wisely. “After 20 years of war, our veterans and their families need timely care, where and when they need it,” he said. Yet, with only half of U.S. veterans currently served by the VA, Whaley urged Collins to ramp up outreach through media and transparency to reach the rest.

Collins, marking 100 days into Trump’s second term, declared the VA done with “costly distractions.” “We’re stripping barriers to deliver the benefits veterans earned,” he said, promising historic reforms. But the job cuts have sparked backlash from Democrats and media, with polls showing over half of veterans fear the impact. Whaley stressed transparency to ease concerns: “Change is tough, but veterans deserve to know the why behind the cuts.”

The stakes are high. The 2023 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Report noted 17 veteran suicides daily in 2021. Whaley called getting that number “as close to zero as possible” the top priority, alongside expanding community care to reduce travel and wait times. He also pushed for better VA-Department of Defense collaboration to smooth veterans’ transitions to civilian life, a critical period when suicides peak.

Whaley urged the VA to involve veterans, families, and caregivers in reform talks to ensure investments hit the mark. “Veteran care ties to recruitment and national security,” he said. “A smooth transition to civilian life isn’t just about jobs—it’s about community and purpose.”