Trump administration could reportedly fire 80,000 from Veterans Affairs
The plan is laid out in a memorandum, first reported on by Government Executive, which came from VA chief of staff Christopher Syrek and calls to reduce the number of employees on payroll to 2019 levels.
It instructs top-level staff to prepare for an agency-wide reorganization in August to "resize and tailor the workforce to the mission and revised structure."
The memorandum also calls for agency officials to work with the White House's Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency to "move out aggressively, while taking a pragmatic and disciplined approach" to meeting objectives laid out by the administration, which has started a concerted effort to reduce the number of people on federal payrolls seemingly without regard to what is needed for agencies to carry out their missions.
In public social media posts, Musk, the world's wealthiest man and a prominent Trump campaign donor, has alluded to presidential election results in the District of Columbia — a heavily Democratic city that has never given its' electoral votes to a Republican candidate — as justification for slashing the federal workforce.
Veterans have already been speaking out against the cuts at the VA, which so far had included a few thousand employees and hundreds of contracts. More than 25% of the VA's workforce are veterans themselves.
In Congress, Democrats have decried the cuts at the VA and other agencies, while Republicans have so far watched with caution the Trump administration's changes.
Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal, the top Democrat on the Senate committee that oversees veteran's affairs, said in a statement that the Trump administration "has launched an all-out assault" against progress the VA has made in expanding its services as the number of covered veterans grows and includes those impacted by toxic burn pits.
"Their plan 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," he said.
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BBC News
16 minutes ago
- BBC News
Trump shifts ceasefire position ahead of Zelensky talks
Donald Trump has said he wants to bypass a ceasefire in Ukraine to move directly to a permanent peace agreement after his meeting with Russian President Vladimir a major shift of position, the US president said on Truth Social following Friday's summit that this would be "the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine", adding ceasefires often "do not hold up".Trump will welcome Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine's president, to Washington on Monday and urged him to agree to a peace a phone call with Trump after the summit, Zelensky called for a real, lasting peace, while adding that "the fire must cease" and killings stop. Trump's comments indicate a dramatic shift in his position on how to end the war, having said only on Friday ahead of the summit that he wanted a ceasefire "rapidly".Ukraine's main demand has been a quick ceasefire before talks about a longer-term settlement, and Trump reportedly told European leaders beforehand that his goal for the summit was to obtain a ceasefire deal. Meanwhile, multiple news outlets reported on Saturday that Putin had presented an offer that involved Ukraine handing over complete control of its eastern Donetsk region, which is 70% occupied by Russia. In return, Russia would reportedly agree to front lines being frozen and other unspecified concessions were apparently US president, who has previously said any peace deal would involve "some swapping of territories", is said to have relayed the offer to Zelensky in a phone call following the summit. Just days ago, Ukraine's president ruled out ceding control of the Donbas, saying it could be used as a springboard for future Russian attacks. The BBC's US partner CBS has reported, citing diplomatic sources, that European diplomats were concerned Trump may try to pressure Zelensky on Monday into agreeing to deal terms he and Putin may have discussed at the summit. CBS quotes sources as saying that Trump told European leaders in a call after the summit that Putin would make "some concessions", but failed to specify what they were. In an interview with Fox News following Friday's summit, Trump was asked what advice he has for the Ukrainian leader, to which he responded by saying "make a deal"."Russia's a very big power and they're not," he had previously threatened "very severe consequences" if Putin did not agree to end the war, last month setting a deadline for Moscow to reach a ceasefire or face tough new sanctions, including secondary was announced by way of an agreement by either president following Friday's summit, but Trump insisted progress had been Saturday, Putin described the summit as "very useful" and said he had been able "set out our position" to Trump. "We had the opportunity, which we did, to talk about the genesis, about the causes of this crisis. It is the elimination of these root causes that should be the basis for settlement," the Russian president the "coalition of the willing" - a group of countries that have pledged to strengthen support for Ukraine that includes the UK, France, and Germany - will hold a call on Sunday afternoon before Zelensky's visit to the White House on Monday. A group of European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, said "the next step must now be further talks including President Zelensky".The leaders said they were "ready to work" towards a trilateral summit with European support."We stand ready to uphold the pressure on Russia," they said, adding: "It will be up to Ukraine to make decisions on its territory. International borders must not be changed by force."UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer praised Trump's efforts to end the war, saying they had "brought us closer than ever before"."While progress has been made, the next step must be further talks involving President Zelenskyy. The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without him," he in Kyiv, Ukrainians have described feeling "crushed" by the scenes from Alaska."I understand that for negotiations you shake hands, you can't just slap Putin in the face when he arrives. But this spectacle with the red carpet and the kneeling soldiers, it's terrible, it makes no sense," Serhii Orlyk, a 50-year-old veteran from the eastern Donetsk region said.
Telegraph
16 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Trump ‘played into Putin's hands'
Donald Trump has 'played into Vladimir Putin 's hands' by dropping his demands for a Russian ceasefire, a senior Ukrainian politician has warned. By aligning himself with Putin's 'insincere' peace proposal, the US president risked repeating Neville Chamberlain's betrayal of Czechoslovakia at the Munich conference of 1938, Oleksandr Merezhko, the chairman of the Ukrainian parliament's foreign affairs committee, said. 'If Trump is serious about supporting Putin's peace treaty idea without calling for a ceasefire first, then it looks very much like a betrayal,' Mr Merezhko told The Telegraph. 'It looks like Munich 1938,' he added referring to the decision to carve out Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland and award it to Hitler in the vain hope of staving off war. Mr Trump's effusive welcome of Putin at their summit in Alaska coupled with subsequent revelations of the concessions the US president appears to have made have triggered widespread anguish in Ukraine. Mr Merezhko said he believed Mr Trump had allowed Putin to hoodwink him into believing he was offering something bigger than a ceasefire, while remaining intent on destroying Ukraine. After emerging from his talks with the Russian leader, the US president said he now agreed with Putin that the best way to end the war was 'to go directly for a peace agreement and not a mere ceasefire agreement'. Yet in accepting that framework – and splitting from Ukraine and his European allies in doing so – Mr Trump had allowed himself to be captured by a long-held Kremlin narrative. 'When Putin talks of a peace treaty and addressing the root causes of the conflict, what he really means is the surrender and capitulation of Ukraine,' Mr Merezhko said. 'Trump has played into the hands of Putin. In choosing to support this idea it is a clear sign that unfortunately he is on the road to aligning with Putin.' In Kyiv, residents shared their dismay over the welcome given to Putin by Mr Trump. Olena and Yuriy, a couple who lost their son in the war, said they watched the Alaska summit unfold on television and were sickened by images of the Russian leader responsible for the invasion being welcomed on a red carpet. They spoke to The Telegraph as they put up a photograph of their son on the memorial wall of fallen soldiers at Saint Michael Square. 'The soldiers of the United States of America were unrolling this red carpet before Putin,' Yuriy said. 'For what reason is a person given such respect, who actually invaded our country?' In a nearby café, the events in Alaska were the topic of the day. 'We are supposed to be allies,' said Yevgheny Sofychuk, 39, who was getting a coffee during his morning dog walk. 'They behaved in a way that suggests they [Russia] are better.' The barista interrupts, 'All I want to say is that Trump is a chicken.' No ceasefire deal was reached at Friday's summit in Alaska and one Ukrainian MP described the outcome as one of the 'worst' possible for Ukraine. 'Putin has won some time for him and his troops,' she said. 'President Trump, in his own words, got a very good meeting. Ukraine got nothing.' On Saturday, after a call between Mr Trump, Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders, the US president outlined a new proposal under which Ukraine would concede the entirety of the Donbas – Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts – in exchange for Article 5-style security guarantees, though these guarantees would not involve Nato membership. It has also been suggested that in other regions, such as Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, the front line will be frozen, according to officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to several media outlets. While the fate of the Donbas region is already part of public debate, some Ukrainians said they would rather continue fighting for the land, even at the risk of losing it, than concede it to Putin. 'Our boys have been fighting and dying and they will never give away those territories. They are not ready for this.' Katerina, 35, said. 'But on the other side, for us civilian citizens, we've been working hard. We've lost a lot of relatives, lost properties, lost emotional and nerve cells. We want it to be over.' While Ukraine's constitution forbids recognition of any territory ceded to Russia, Serhii, 44, argued for a national deliberation. 'I think we should conduct some kind of pan-Ukrainian referendum to decide. It's a tough choice and there are no good options,' he admitted. 'The people of Donbas should also be consulted. I know that many there don't care much who is in charge – Russians or Ukrainians. Some are fine with being under Russian rule – that's a fact.' He added that with so much mixed messaging, it is hard to know whether Ukraine still has any 'cards' to play. 'If it's really bad and we are not in a position to choose or decide, then why should they ask us anyway? But if we still have some cards, then why not bargain for a bit longer?' Standing beside Serhii was a friend, pale-faced and silent. He refused to give his name or comment, explaining only that he has just returned from Russian captivity and the subject was too sensitive. Back at the memorial wall of heroes, the photograph of Olena and Yuriy's son now fills a once-empty space. The wall runs the length of a city block, with large sections of blue plaster still bare — spaces that could yet be filled if Ukraine continues the fight. 'Even if Trump stops all this weapons support,' said his father, Yuriy, 'we Ukrainians, those who care about our future, will be standing up to the very end.'
Leader Live
28 minutes ago
- Leader Live
State sends National Guard members to Washington at Trump team's request
The move by a nearby state comes as hundreds of District of Columbia National Guard were activated this week to back up local law enforcement in what the Republican administration calls an effort to crack down on crime and homelessness in the District of Columbia. Governor Patrick Morrisey said in a post on Saturday on X that he was deploying '300-400 skilled personnel' from the West Virginia National Guard to support Mr Trump's 'initiative to make DC safe and beautiful'. Mr Morrisey said the step reflects 'our commitment to a strong and secure America'. They will arrive in the District of Columbia along with equipment and specialised training services, his office said in a statement. 'West Virginia is proud to stand with President Trump in his effort to restore pride and beauty to our nation's capital,' Mr Morrisey said. 'The men and women of our National Guard represent the best of our state, and this mission reflects our shared commitment to a strong and secure America.' The move comes as federal agents and National Guard troops have begun to appear across the heavily Democratic city after Mr Trump's executive order on Monday federalising local police forces and activating about 800 DC National Guard troops for his plan. Maj Gen James Seward, West Virginia's adjutant general, said in a statement that members of the state's National Guard 'stand ready to support our partners in the National Capital Region' and that the Guard's 'unique capabilities and preparedness make it an invaluable partner in this important undertaking.' Federal agents have appeared in some of the city's most highly trafficked neighbourhoods, garnering praise, pushback and alarm from local residents and leaders across the country. City leaders, who are obliged to co-operate with the president's order under the federal laws that direct the district's local governance, have sought to work with the administration though have bristled at the scope of the president's takeover. On Friday the administration reversed course on an order that aimed to place the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration as an 'emergency police commissioner' after the district's top lawyer sued to contest. After a court hearing, Mr Trump's attorney general, Pam Bondi, issued a memo that directed the Metropolitan Police Department to co-operate with federal immigration enforcement regardless of any city law. District officials say they are evaluating how to best comply. In his order Monday, Mr Trump declared an emergency because of the 'city government's failure to maintain public order'. He said that impeded the 'federal government's ability to operate efficiently to address the nation's broader interests without fear of our workers being subjected to rampant violence.' In a letter to city residents, Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, wrote that 'our limited self-government has never faced the type of test we are facing right now'. She added that if Washingtonians stick together, 'we will show the entire nation what it looks like to fight for American democracy – even when we don't have full access to it'.
