Elon Musk's Mass Government Firings Have Cost Nearly 6,000 Veterans Their Jobs, House Democrats Say

House Democrats estimate that nearly 6,000 veterans have been fired from federal jobs as part of the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) initiative to slash government funding led by billionaire Elon Musk.

The figure, released by the House Appropriations Committee, is based on workforce ratios at affected agencies and the total number of known layoffs. Democrats in the committee added that the number could rise significantly as the DOGE initiative continues.

"Our veterans make significant sacrifices in service of our country, but those sacrifices do not seem to matter to President Trump and unchecked billionaire Elon Musk," said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, in a statement.

"Republicans are turning their back on them, allowing Musk to fire at least 6,000 veterans and leave them with no way to feed their families or keep a roof over their heads," added DeLauro.

According to the findings, veterans constitute about 30% of the federal workforce, which stood at approximately 2.3 million employees before the layoffs began. The Defense Department, where veterans make up more than 43% of personnel, is expected to see the most significant losses of veterans, with additional cuts likely at the Treasury Department, Justice Department, and Department of Veterans Affairs.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, called the firings "an unwarranted and unjustified attack on the veterans and military spouses who sacrificed so much for all of us.". She also added that:

"By upending their lives and careers, these groundless firings are a disgraceful assault on heroes who admirably served our country. It is deeply offensive that this Administration would attempt to balance our budget on the backs of our veterans"

In response to the firings, Rep. Derek Tran (D-Calif.), an Army veteran and former employment lawyer, has introduced a bill to protect veterans' jobs, as the Associated Press reports.

The legislation would require the reinstatement of veterans terminated without cause since the start of Trump's second term and mandate federal agencies to report to Congress on the dismissals. Tran emphasized the need for bipartisan support of the bill:

"I've been trying to get support. I'm trying to not make this a partisan issue. This is just the right thing for our veterans. So in my communication with colleagues across the aisle, I want to make sure that they understand this is not a Democratic bill. This is a bill to protect those who served"