Thousands of Veterans to March on DC Over Benefits Cuts—'Will Not Stand By'

Newsweek

2 days ago

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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Thousands of veterans are expected to march on Washington, D.C., to protest expected cuts at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Why It Matters
The VA is the second-largest U.S. government department, employing around 470,000 people. There are some 6.2 million veterans in the United States who receive disability benefits from the VA.
In its budget proposal for fiscal year 2026, the Trump administration called for a 4 percent discretionary spending increase at the VA, largely targeting improvements to medical care and records technology. However, that number is expected to decrease after VA Secretary Doug Collins recently informed Congress that, to offset costs, 15 percent of the VA workforce will be reduced in the coming years.
The Trump administration is arguing that technology advances will help the agency function despite staffing cuts. The cuts come amid a broader effort to reduce costs and streamline government services.
Earlier this month, Federal News Network reported that over 14,000 VA employees in health care positions applied to leave their jobs through separation incentives offered by the federal government. However, veterans have expressed concerns that job cuts will compromise their ability to access benefits due to the reduced staffing levels.
VA Secretary Doug Collins testifies during a Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs on May 6, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
VA Secretary Doug Collins testifies during a Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs on May 6, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.
What To Know
The rally will take place at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on June 6 at 2 p.m. ET. It coincides with the 81st anniversary of D-Day, when Allied forces launched the invasion of Normandy, France, during World War II.
The campaign website said it expected "thousands of veterans, military families, and their allies" to attend the march.
Rally leaders described themselves as the "Bonus Army of 2025," referencing the 1932 protest in which World War I veterans and their supporters marched on Washington to demand payment of their promised bonuses amid the Great Depression.
What People Are Saying
The Unite For Veterans website said: "America made a promise to its veterans. It's a promise we intend to keep."
It added: "We are coming together to defend the benefits, jobs, and dignity that every generation of veterans has earned through sacrifice."
Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins, at a Senate hearing in early May: "We have been emphatic that we will not be cutting benefits and health care, only improving them."
Margaret Cooney, senior campaign manager at the nonpartisan Center for American Progress, wrote on May 23: "Overall, these cuts to staffing and funding will damage public health and safety; harm economic interests and programs, such as like the VA's Armed to Farm program that support veterans' transition into faming; and leave U.S. veterans without the support they were promised for serving their country."
What Happens Next
The cuts are expected to take place in August, according to a memo from the VA chief of staff, seen by The Wall Street Journal.
Whether the administration reacts to the backlash remains to be seen.