The Trump administration is planning a major workforce reduction at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), potentially cutting more than 70,000 employees, according to an internal memo obtained by CNN.
The memo, sent Tuesday by VA Chief of Staff Christopher Syrek, states that the agency—working alongside the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—will move "aggressively" to restructure and "resize" its workforce.
The goal is to return to 2019 staffing levels of 399,957 employees, down from the over 470,000 currently employed, the report said.
The VA workforce expanded significantly under the Biden administration, particularly to implement the 2022 PACT Act, which extended benefits to veterans exposed to toxic substances in service.
VA offices have been directed to assess staffing and report back to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) by April 14.
The planned cuts at the VA are part of a broader federal downsizing effort. Other agencies, including the Department of Defense, have already begun laying off employees, with the Pentagon targeting up to 8% of its civilian workforce.
While OPM recently softened its guidance on terminating probationary workers, allowing agencies discretion, the VA memo signals that Trump's administration has no plans to abandon its commitment to significant staffing reductions across the government.
© 2025 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
