Veterans Affairs Official Issues Stark Warning About Musk's 'Absolute Chaos' Approach to Gutting Agency: 'Nothing is Getting Done'

A Veterans Affairs (VA) official has raised alarm over the sweeping cuts and restructuring efforts led by Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Speaking to NBC News on condition of anonymity, the official described "absolute chaos" at the agency, citing confusion, low morale, and an exodus of experienced personnel. "It's leading to paralysis, and nothing is getting done," the official warned.

"The best employees are starting to look elsewhere," the official added. "I can't overemphasize that enough."

DOGE has undertaken aggressive measures to downsize federal agencies, with the Veterans Affairs office included in the sweep. The department's Secretary, Douglas A. Collins, took to X on Tuesday to tout significant layoffs and contract terminations, moves he claims will save nearly $2 billion without affecting core services.

Collins defended the cuts, arguing that contracts for administrative tasks such as PowerPoint creation and meeting minutes were wasteful. "We are taking care of the veterans," he claimed, urging the public to ignore criticism from "nameless sources, senators, and media."

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), ranking member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, reacted in a statement on Tuesday, labeling Collins' cuts as "reckless" and warning that they would harm both veterans and taxpayers:

"To say abruptly cancelling these services won't impact veterans' care and benefits is another unrealistic promise from Collins. Make no mistake—this is just another reckless cost-cutting decision that will harm veterans and taxpayers for years to come"

According to The Washington Post, the 875 contracts on the chopping block include critical services such as medical care, cancer programs, veteran burial services, and doctor recruitment.

Veterans are being impacted by DOGE's spending cuts across the government, with House Democrats estimating that nearly 6,000 veterans have been fired from federal jobs so far.

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.

Beyond the contract cancellations, Musk's leadership of DOGE has sparked widespread confusion. A recent email directive required federal employees to list five work-related tasks or face termination, a move that resulted in widespread anxiety across agencies. The directive was later rescinded by the Office of Personnel Management, but not before agencies lost valuable time determining how to respond.