Poll shows young vets unhappy with Signal leak, federal program cuts
A new survey of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans released Monday shows significant dissatisfaction with national security officials' recent handling of sensitive military information, as well as broad concerns about potential cuts to federal support services related to White House moves.
The poll — from Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America and Columbia University's Center for Veteran Transition and Integration — also found more than half of respondents said they were less confident in America's long-term national security since President Donald Trump's inauguration.
More than 1,400 veterans were surveyed in the report, the vast majority of whom (89%) served in Iraq, Afghanistan or Syria during their time in the ranks. More than half described themselves as politically independent, with the remainder split almost evenly between Republicans and Democrats.
But study authors found the negative responses in the survey cut across political lines.
About 86% of veterans polled said that individuals involved in the leak of sensitive military airstrike information on the messaging platform Signal should be 'held accountable' for those mistakes. That included 76% of veterans who identified as Republicans.
The Pentagon's inspector general office is already investigating Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's use of Signal ahead of March airstrikes in Yemen against Houthi targets. In unsecured messages, Hegseth shared details of the timing of the attack and weapons to be used with a number of administration officials, including Vice President JD Vance and National Security Advisor Mike Walz.
Also copied on those messages was a senior editor from The Atlantic, who later publicly shared excerpts of the controversial chats.
Security experts and White House officials have sparred since then over whether the unsecure sharing of information constitutes criminal acts. Trump has stood by Hegseth and other officials, even as other potential information security violations have emerged.
The latest survey also found that 81% of veterans are concerned that plans for federal cuts to government services could impact veterans benefits and health care, despite promises from Veterans Affairs officials that support programs will be preserved.
Related, 42% of veterans in the survey said they are less likely to recommend military service to a friend or family member than they were a year ago. Almost half (48%) said they would discourage potential recruits from joining.
IAVA officials said the survey should not be extrapolated to represent the views of all American veterans, since the younger generations of former military members share distinct characteristics from the previous ones.
Past work by the group has shown veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan era are more diverse — both in terms of race and gender — than older generations of veterans, and are less likely to identify with major political parties.
They are also more likely to currently be in the workforce than their older peers. About one in five veterans surveyed said they know someone who is unemployed due to recent federal civilian job cuts.
The full survey is available on the IAVA web site.
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The release of that draft had been delayed as the Senate parliamentarian reviewed the bill to ensure it complied with the chamber's strict 'Byrd Rule,' named for the late Sen. Robert C. Byrd, It largely bars policy matters from inclusion in budget bills unless a provision can get 60 votes to overcome objections. That would be a tall order in a Senate with a 53-47 GOP edge and Democrats unified against Trump's bill. Republicans suffered a series of setbacks after several proposals were determined to be out of compliance by the chief arbiter of the Senate's rules. One plan would have shifted some food stamp costs from the federal government to the states; a second would have gutted the funding structure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. But over the past days, Republicans have quickly revised those proposals and reinstated them. The final text includes a proposal for cuts to a Medicaid provider tax that had run into parliamentary objections and opposition from several senators worried about the fate of rural hospitals. The new version extends the start date for those cuts and establishes a $25 billion fund to aid rural hospitals and providers. Most states impose the provider tax as a way to boost federal Medicaid reimbursements. Some Republicans argue that is a scam and should be abolished. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has said that under the House-passed version of the bill, some 10.9 million more people would go without health care and at least 3 million fewer would qualify for food aid. The CBO has not yet publicly assessed the Senate draft, which proposes steeper reductions. Top income-earners would see about a $12,000 tax cut under the House bill, while the poorest Americans would face a $1,600 tax increase, the CBO said. One unresolved issue remains the so-called SALT provision, a deduction for state and local taxes that has been a top priority of lawmakers from New York and other high-tax states. The cap is now $10,000. The White House and House Republicans had narrowed in on a plan for a $40,000 cap, but for five years instead of 10. Republican senators says that's too generous. At least one House GOP holdout, Rep. Nick LaLota of New York, said he cannot support the compromise. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said Republicans are rushing to finish the bill before the public fully knows what's in it. 'There's no good reason for Republicans to chase a silly deadline,' Schumer said. House Speaker Mike Johnson, who sent his colleagues home for the weekend with plans to be on call to return to Washington, said they are 'very close' to finishing up. 'We would still like to meet that July Fourth, self-imposed deadline,' said Johnson, R-La. With the narrow Republicans majorities in the House and Senate, leaders need almost every lawmaker on board to ensure passage. Johnson and Thune have stayed close to the White House, relying on Trump to pressure holdout lawmakers. ___ Associated Press writers Kevin Freking and Joey Cappelletti contributed to this report. Lisa Mascaro, The Associated Press
