VA secretary: Cutting 80,000 jobs ‘is our target’

Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins said his agency is looking to cut 80,000 jobs as their “target” to slim the agency’s workforce.

Collins joined Fox & Friends on Monday, where he was pressed about the reported plans to make major cuts to the VA’s staff, particularly as concern ramps up about the impacts of mass layoffs.

“So, the 80,000 number that has come out, is that number already done? Have you already decided who to let go?” Fox’s Brian Kilmeade questioned.

“No, that is a goal that was put out … [as] President Trump and [the Office of Personnel Management] have said let’s look at a reduction in force across government,” Collins replied. “And that is a goal, that is out target.”

Trump signed an executive order last month directing all federal agencies to prepare for a reduction in force, meaning “large-scale” layoffs.

Veterans Affairs has workers across the country, meaning its cuts could be implemented in hospitals and clinics from coast to coast. Collins wrote in The Hill last week that the VA would be working to cut its workforce to levels seen in 2019.

Specifically, he described a goal of cutting to 398,000 employees "from our current level of approximately 470,000 employees — a nearly 15 percent decrease. We will accomplish this without making cuts to health care or benefits to veterans and VA beneficiaries."

In the interview on Fox News, Collins said it would be a “deliberative process that’s going to take some time, that’s going to include career VA employees."

"It’s going to include senior executives. It’s going to include all across, even bringing people in, if need be, to take a look at: are we being efficient?” Collins said.

The secretary said he is ready to make changes at the VA that “actually help our veterans” and make it so they don’t have to rely on calling their senator or congresspeople to receive benefits, aid and care.

Kilmeade questioned if Collins plans on using Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in the process to slim down. DOGE has spent weeks scaling back federal funding by offering employees buyout plans and cutting programs at various agencies.

Collins said he has had VA employees working a DOGE liaison, particularly looking at contracts and organizational structure at the department.

“I think it’s really interesting for me to take a look at an organization that’s grown rapidly but yet still has issues and still has problems taking care of our veterans,” he said, later adding: “We’re going to make sure we’re putting the money and resources toward our veterans getting the help they need.”

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