VFW Condemns Trump-Musk Purge: Mass Veteran Firings Spark Outrage

A Rare VFW Rebuke: Why Trump and Musk’s VA Purge is an Unprecedented Attack on Veterans

Screenshot: VFW.org’s homepage.

For years, major veteran service organizations (VSOs) like the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and Disabled American Veterans (DAV) have taken a careful, measured approach when responding to political controversies. Their leadership often prioritizes maintaining relationships with whichever administration is in power, advocating for their members behind closed doors rather than through public confrontations. Even more-so, the public perception of VSOs failing to swing their weight around when they're needed comes from something else entirely. Very frequently, expert DC-based policy and government affairs staff at these VSOs find themselves having to keep their heads down and mouths shut when they’re at odds with a large contingent of members who are retired, and have the time and resources not just to make a disproportionate amount of noise—but to organize voting blocks to sabotage the organization from within at national conventions where votes are held on resolutions and leadership. These policy experts on staff look at the text of proposed policies and budgets, and judge them on their merits—whereas the Trumpian contingent within the rank-and-file membership would gladly burn down the very department that provides them the healthcare and benefits they earned through service if their cult leader told them that was what he wanted.

Having seen firsthand how these dynamics play out, I wasn’t surprised by the reluctance of most VSOs to openly challenge Trump when it mattered most. But the VFW’s latest statement, condemning the Trump administration’s mass firings of veterans from federal jobs, is extraordinary.

Unlike the cautious approach of many VSOs post-January 6, the VFW has now stepped forward in a way that others failed to after that attack. AMVETS stood alone among the “Big 6” VSOs in the days following the Insurrection, with their executive director Marine Corps veteran Joe Chenelley forcefully calling out the veterans who participated in the fascist attempt to end our democracy—while others released measured statements about removing members who were convicted for their actions at the Capitol that day. (Come to think of it now, I don’t know if this actually happened or how Trump’s pardoning of the January 6 terrorists might impact their standing in these VSOs.)

The Infuriating Silence of Old-School VSOs

I started working for Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), one of the Big 6 VSOs in May 2016, when Trump was still in the earliest stages of teaching politicians and everyday citizens alike what kind of wrath he could inspire against them from his cultish following with a tweet. Being a millennial in an organization by and for people in their 70's, I often found myself frustrated by my employer's slow responses to Trump both as a candidate and then as president, as he lobbed his daily insults at servicemembers and veterans.

Whether it was appointing a shadow cabinet of billionaire Mar-a-Lago members to illegally set policy at the Department of Veterans Affairs, or dismissing traumatic brain injuries caused by large explosions as "headaches" that over 100 active duty troops suffered when Trump allowed Iran to hit an American base with missiles—Trump's everyday actions as Commander-in-Chief showed that his ignorance, indifference, and malice toward our community threatened the very lives of American troops, veterans, and our families. I frequently found myself drafting press releases and social media posts on behalf of VVA, sending these up the chain for approval with an offer to resign so that I could be the one to fall on my sword if necessary, if only we could forcefully condemn these dangerous actions by the man charged with the wellbeing of those who swore an oath to protect our country.

Far more often than not these drafts would be rejected, and I'd end up just having to share my views on my own social media accounts, in my personal capacity, and without the weight and credibility of an organization behind me. For that, my boss would still frequently receive calls from the White House, Republican congressional offices, and the partisan hacks at Trump-aligned veterans organizations calling for my firing. And that was in addition to the internal pressure my bosses faced, with members of VVA from around the country also occasionally reaching out to headquarters to complain about my conduct. Thankfully, my chain of command would stand by me so long as any opinions I expressed in my personal capacity were still based on solid policy analysis.

Having been my age and in my shoes as young advocates during the age of Nixon, my bosses knew the importance of strategic restraint. They understood that when you have a President willing to not just bend norms, but violate the law to punish his perceived political enemies, the big VSOs had to be careful about using their political capital. While I was there, under the leadership of the legendary president John Rowan and executive director for policy and government affairs Rick Weidman, VVA was by far the most willing of the Big 6 to criticize Trump when it mattered.

That’s why the VFW’s latest statement, condemning the Trump administration’s mass firings of veterans from federal jobs, is nothing short of extraordinary.

The Decline of the American Legion’s Influence

The American Legion, once one of the most powerful veteran service organizations, saw its influence wane under the Trump administration. Internal strife and poor leadership decisions weakened its ability to stand up for veterans when it mattered most. In 2017, a critical moment in veterans' policy, a senior Legion staffer burned a draft of the VA MISSION Act and returned a photo of the burned ashes to Congressional staff members. This was a bill written by Senators John McCain and Jerry Moran, and was intended to fulfill Trump's promises to further privatize VA healthcare. While the Legion’s acting VA Policy Director, Lou Celli, lit a printout of the bill on fire at his own home and over a weekend as a symbolic gesture to oppose VA privatization, as the photo of the incident made its way around Capitol Hill, this protest backfired spectacularly, alienating key Trump-aligned congressional staff and undermining the organization’s standing with the Republicans then in control of both legislative chambers. While Celli was willing to stand on principal and die on that hill, the Trump-loving, boot licking, cowardly then-National Adjutant (CEO), National Commander (civilian volunteer leader), and influential past national commanders were forced into an awkward position of publicly supporting the law despite their initial opposition.

Lou Celli’s copy of the MISSION Act.

(For what it's worth, I strongly supported Lou's literal torching of the MISSION Act, and wished only that the Legion and other VSOs closed ranks around him after he did so.)

Meanwhile, infighting between the Legion’s older leadership and its younger, more progressive policy staff further damaged its effectiveness. Efforts to modernize the organization and make it more appealing (ahem, and less bigoted) to post-9/11 veterans were repeatedly blocked by entrenched leadership, leading to a mass exodus of talented staffers and grassroots leaders. American Legion leadership at that time (2017-2018) were vapor-locked on going to war with Nike and the NFL over the Colin Kaepernick kneeling controversy—despite the fact that Kaepernick’s taking a knee was an accommodation to a Green Beret veteran who asked him to do so rather than sit on the bench during the National Anthem. (The intent was to balance Kaepernick’s right to free speech with showing respect to our flag and anthem.) While Nike made $350M in earned media off of the controversy, the Legion continued to bleed members at the cyclic rate and alienate many post-9/11 veterans. At the same time, the Legion’s reliance on outdated tactics and an inability to mobilize its membership in a meaningful way meant it was often sidelined in critical policy debates.

This decline in effectiveness was evident when the Trump administration manipulated the Legion into supporting policies that ultimately harmed veterans, such as the expansion of private healthcare outsourcing that weakened the VA. What was clear was that the old, pale, and stale Legion leadership were a pathetic shadow of the power the Legion held in the 1950s and 1960s. They were all too happy to sacrifice today’s veterans and their benefits if it meant they could stand behind Trump and the Resolute Desk for a photo op.

Also, when the long knives came out for then-Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dave Shulkin, Celli snuck him into the Washington Hilton during one of the Legion’s conferences to meet with the National Adjutant, and current and past national commanders who told Shulkin they wouldn’t allow Trump to fire him. Trump did exactly that—firing Shulkin by tweet and not even having the guts to tell Shulkin himself—and the not-so-mighty Legion crept back into their cave with their tails between their legs.

The Shrinking Influence of Veteran Advocacy

The struggles of the American Legion reflect a larger trend in veteran advocacy. As detailed in the Substack Battleborne by Jasper Craven, veteran policymaking has become deeply politicized and increasingly dominated by corporate interests. Traditional VSOs like the Legion, VFW, and DAV have seen their political influence decline as they struggle with membership losses, financial difficulties, and internal discord. Meanwhile, private healthcare companies, defense contractors, and other special interests have moved in to fill the power vacuum, shaping policy in ways that benefit their shareholders rather than the needs of veterans.

One of the most significant challenges facing modern veteran advocacy is the loss of experienced, independent advocates. Many top veterans’ policy experts have left traditional VSOs for lucrative positions in the private sector, where they now work for corporations with a vested interest in VA outsourcing and privatization.

(I can’t blame my friends and colleagues who have done this. I’ve long wanted to leave the trap of the nonprofit industrial complex, as shouldering the burdens of advocacy and activism for insufficient pay comes at great personal cost. This has especially been the case for me since I’ve entered the world of leading an organization that engages veterans in the hobby of maintaining a democracy by way of Nazi-hunting, which results in frequent and very serious real-world threats against my family. Hence, why I’m now substituting my income by allowing folks to support my work directly via this very Substack account.)

This trend of experienced veterans advocates drifting into the corporate consulting and lobbying world has left a void in veteran advocacy, making it harder to push back against harmful policies like the mass layoffs and contract cancellations currently happening under the Trump-Musk administration.

The fight for veterans’ rights is at a critical juncture. If organizations like the VFW and DAV do not continue to step up, and if veterans themselves do not become more engaged in advocacy, the hard-won gains of past generations could be lost. The current moment demands a new wave of veteran activism—one that refuses to be silenced by political pressure or corporate influence.

A Rare and Blistering Statement

VFW National Commander Al Lipphardt issued a statement that, while not mentioning Trump or Elon Musk by name, leaves no doubt about where the organization stands. Lipphardt blasted the indiscriminate nature of the DOGE cuts, warning that veterans are being disproportionately harmed by the administration’s aggressive workforce reductions. He pointed out that veterans make up approximately 30% of the federal workforce—many of them in mission-critical roles that provide expertise, institutional knowledge, and security clearances the American people have already paid for.

Lipphardt’s statement was not just a call for oversight—it was a direct rebuke of how these firings were carried out. The entire statement is worth a read, but this specific section is so incredibly powerful I have to share it here:

I was wounded in combat during the Vietnam War. I am thankful that the medics who treated me chose not to take my whole arm for the sake of efficiency. It took a trained eye, a skillful hand and human intuition to fix me up and get me back in the fight. In my experience, those operating with a scalpel have a better chance at saving limbs than those who operate with a chainsaw.

Invoking the memory of the faithful and talented government employees who worked diligently to save his arm after injuries sustained in combat, in service of his country, and contrasting that with the wealthiest man on the planet, Elon Musk goofily waving a chainsaw around at CPAC was as compelling a message as I could imagine the VFW delivering.

Lipphardt noted that many of those being let go by Musk’s DOGE team were not “brand-new, off-the-street employees” but long-serving veterans with years of civil service experience. Worse, he revealed that veterans receiving their layoff notices described them as “disjointed” and “automated,” indicating that little thought or human oversight went into the process.

Lipphardt’s words carry extra weight because the VFW has long been known for its willingness to work with Republican administrations. For the VFW to openly condemn these mass firings sends a clear message: this isn’t about politics—it’s about the blatant disregard for the service and sacrifice of veterans who dedicated their careers to public service.

DAV’s More Typical Approach

For comparison, DAV’s statement on these same job cuts was much more restrained. It expressed concern over the “lack of transparency” surrounding the VA’s workforce reductions but stopped short of outright condemnation. DAV merely called for “greater transparency” and emphasized its continued willingness to work with policymakers. This is the kind of cautious approach we’ve come to expect from major VSOs—one that seeks to maintain a neutral stance while pushing for incremental change. The fact that VFW broke from this mold is what makes its response so striking.

DAV’s hesitancy to directly criticize the administration reflects the difficult balancing act VSOs often face. They rely on political goodwill to push through critical policies and protect veterans' benefits, but there comes a time when silence becomes complicity. With the VFW taking the lead, other organizations may feel emboldened to follow suit.

A Broader Assault on Veterans

The layoffs at the VA and other federal agencies are part of a broader effort by the Trump administration—now fueled by Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—to shrink the government under the guise of cost-cutting. But the consequences of these actions are anything but efficient. The VA has already fired 2,400 workers, with more on the chopping block, many of whom are veterans. Some of those let go even worked for the Veterans Crisis Line—staff who provide essential suicide prevention support. Others included researchers studying PTSD treatments, toxic exposure from burn pits, and life-saving cancer therapies.

The Military Times reports that while VA Secretary Doug Collins insists these cuts won’t impact veterans’ healthcare, lawmakers and experts disagree. Democrats in Congress have already condemned the firings, arguing that they are arbitrary, reckless, and politically motivated. Senator Angus King pointed out that even if “nonessential” employees are being fired, their absence still affects veterans’ ability to access services, get appointments, and navigate their benefits.

The impact is also being felt beyond the VA. Veterans employed in other federal agencies, including the Department of Defense, are facing similar job insecurity. The Office of Personnel Management estimates that nearly 6,000 veterans have already been let go across multiple agencies, and many more are expected to be affected in the coming months.

The Targeting of Veteran-Owned Small Businesses

As part of its sweeping cuts, DOGE has begun aggressively canceling VA contracts, with service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses bearing the brunt of these terminations. According to Washington Technology, nearly 90% of the savings claimed by DOGE thus far have come from cutting contracts held by veteran-owned businesses. This is despite federal laws requiring the VA to prioritize these businesses in contracting.

Many of the canceled contracts were not frivolous expenditures but essential services, including IT modernization, program management, and business process improvements for the VA’s healthcare system. The companies affected had previously been awarded work under a $1.5 billion transformation contract for the Veterans Health Administration. Now, three of the six veteran-owned firms on that contract have had their projects abruptly canceled, cutting off millions in revenue and forcing layoffs within those businesses.

Meanwhile, VA Secretary Doug Collins attempted to justify the cuts by claiming the department had been wasting money on consultants creating PowerPoint slides and taking meeting minutes. However, an analysis of the canceled contracts shows no evidence that these were major cost drivers. Instead, critical modernization efforts have been derailed, with no clear plan for how the VA will replace the lost expertise.

Essential Services for Veterans Are on the Chopping Block

A Washington Post investigation has revealed that the DOGE-led VA contract cancellations go beyond small business losses—they directly impact essential veteran services. Internal documents show that among the 875 contracts being terminated, many support medical programs, burial services, and the recruitment of desperately needed doctors for VA hospitals.

Senator Richard Blumenthal warned that these cuts would have devastating effects on veterans, calling them “reckless cost-cutting decisions that will harm veterans and taxpayers for years to come.” Some of the eliminated contracts helped maintain environmental safety at VA hospitals, including the safe disposal of hazardous materials. Others were tied to critical cancer research programs and cutting-edge treatment systems for veterans battling serious illnesses.

Despite these revelations, VA Secretary Collins has doubled down, dismissing concerns as “scare tactics” from lawmakers and the media. He insists that the cuts will have no impact on veteran care, despite mounting evidence that they will undermine critical programs and services.

The Veterans’ Community–And Our Allies–Must Fight Back

Lipphardt’s call to action is clear: VFW members must “march forth” on March 4th, showing up at the Capitol in force to demand an end to these indiscriminate firings. The organization is mobilizing its 1.4 million members to apply pressure on Congress and the administration to reverse course.

(As I was putting the finishing touches on this piece, the Washington Post reported that the VA is already reversing course and canceling the termination of some of the contracts mentioned above. The backlash to Trump-Musk policies is already working!)

If you’re not a veteran or member of VFW, there are other ways that you can support this fight.

• Share articles about these issues on social media. In the mind of most Americans who know what VFW is, there’s an image of a stiff, old, irrelevant veterans organization composed of smoky old windowless bars known as “Posts.” Those days are coming to an end, as younger veterans reinvigorate VFW posts around the country. And Lipphardt’s statement this week shows that this old titan is still fighting for veterans.

• Consider paying for a subscription or signing up for the free newsletters at military-and-veteran focused media outlets. Whether in-print or online, outlets like Military Times, Stars and Stripes, Military.com, and Task & Purpose provide critical information to our community and the general public.

• Use the 5Calls app or visit 5Calls.org to contact your representatives. 5Calls will give you easy instructions not just on how to contact your member of the House of Representatives and both of your senators, but it also provides you helpful scripts so you can easily tell them to save the Department of Veterans Affairs, and stop the partisan purge of the federal workforce.

As a life member of the VFW, I have never been prouder of my fellow veterans who are speaking out. We are witnessing an authoritarian-style purge of our government, and the VFW has drawn a line in the sand. Now it’s up to all of us—veterans, advocates, and citizens—to hold our leaders accountable and stop this attack on those who served our country.

The VFW’s statement is historic. It may be measured in tone, but in the world of VSOs, this is as close to a full-throated condemnation as we’re likely to get. If they’re willing to fight, so should we.