Veterans Laid Off by Trump Policies Feel Betrayed and Abandoned

MILWAUKEE, Wis. — A wave of layoffs among veterans in federal jobs has sparked feelings of betrayal among former service members, some of whom supported President Donald Trump during the last election. The firings stem from the administration’s aggressive downsizing of government agencies, particularly the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Nathan Hooven, a disabled Air Force veteran, voiced his discontent after being let go from a Virginia medical facility in February. “I think a lot of other veterans voted the same way, and we have been betrayed,” he said. Hooven, who supported Trump in the 2020 election, described his termination as a devastating turn of events.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which employs about 25% veterans in its workforce, is undergoing a major reorganization that may lead to the loss of over 80,000 jobs, as outlined in an internal memo obtained by the Associated Press. This move occurred after Trump took office, with estimates suggesting thousands of veterans may have already lost their positions.

James Stancil, a 62-year-old Army veteran recently fired from the VA hospital in Milwaukee, echoed Hooven’s sentiments. “It felt like I’d been shot and dumped out of a helicopter,” Stancil said, referring to the abrupt way he learned about his termination. “I’m not dead weight. You’re tossing off the wrong stuff.” Stancil noted the lack of warning and the email he received alleging inadequate performance after he had previously received positive feedback.

Matthew Sims, another veteran who voted for Trump, shared his frustrations after losing his job as a program support assistant at a VA mental health clinic in Virginia. He expressed support for reducing the size of government but criticized the method of execution, describing it as a haphazard approach. “It’s like the chainsaw approach versus the surgical approach that they should be doing,” Sims said.

Alina Habba, a former member of Trump’s legal team now serving as a White House counselor, defended the layoffs as necessary for fiscal responsibility, emphasizing that the administration continues to care for veterans. “But perhaps they’re not fit to have a job at this moment,” she stated during a press briefing, provoking further anger among those affected.

Further complicating matters, Cynthia Williams, an Army veteran recently laid off from her dispatcher role at a VA facility in Ann Arbor, expressed her disbelief at the situation. Williams did not vote for either candidate in the recent election but remarked that many veterans who supported Trump would feel differently about their votes had they anticipated this outcome.

The situation highlights a troubling paradox for the Trump administration, which has relied heavily on veteran support. According to an AP survey, nearly 60% of veteran voters backed Trump in the last election. However, many now feel abandoned by the very president they supported.

As job cuts continue, veterans are left grappling with their sudden unemployment amidst a confluence of policies that they feel target them unfairly. James Stancil believes an apology from Trump is due to those affected. “There’s no excuse for this. We deserve better treatment,” he said.

In light of the upheaval, job fairs targeting veterans are being organized to assist those who have lost their federal positions. A job fair scheduled for Thursday at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Arlington aims to connect veterans with new employment opportunities.