“All the cumulative policies” Trump has promoted, including tax cuts and deregulation, “can’t be upended by a temporary Middle East skirmish,” Hassett said on Fox News. “This is really an economy that can’t be slowed down” added Hassett, director of the National Economic Council.

Hasset spoke as air raid sirens once again sounded in Israel and across the Gulf States to guard against another round of drone and missile strikes from Iran but before reports from the region said that a U.S. warplane had been shot down over Iran and the fate of the crew was unknown.

Later reports from several outlets said that one of the members of the two-member crew had been rescued by U.S. forces and a search was continuing for the second.

Hassett’s rosy analysis was prompted by the monthly jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showing that U.S. employers added 178,000 jobs in March, blowing past estimates that about 60,000 jobs would be added to payrolls.

In a post on X, White House spokesperson Kush Desai said, “The March jobs report blew out expectations with strong construction job growth and a surge in manufacturing job creation as trillions of dollars in investments begin to materialize.”

However, the March jobs report was based on BLS data collected by mid-March, which was before the Feb. 28 start of the Iran war, and did not gauge the impact of $4 gasoline, $104 crude or wild swings in the stock market indexes. The markets were closed Friday, and so the impact of the BLS report on the markets would have to wait for them to re-open Monday.

The jobs report also showed that the national unemployment rate ticked down from 4.4% in February to 4.3% in March, while the jobless rate for all veterans came down from 4.1% in February to 3.9% in March.

The closely-watched unemployment rate for post-9/11 veterans also came down from 4.8% in February to 4.5% in March.

Health care added 76,000 jobs in March, construction added 26,000 and manufacturing added 15,000, while federal government employment continued to decline in March, losing 18,000 jobs, the BLS said. Since October 2024, the number of jobs in federal government has declined by 355,000, or 11.8%.

In its monthly jobs report, the BLS stated that the unemployment rate for all veterans dropped from 4.5% in January to 4.1% in February, while the rate for post-9/11 veterans went down a full percentage point from 5.8% in January to 4.8% in February.

The drop in jobless rates for veterans came as the rate ticked up for the general population from 4.3% to 4.4%, reflecting the loss of 92,000 jobs cut by employers in February, the BLS said.

The manufacturing sector lost 12,000 jobs in February and a total of 90,000 jobs in 2025, the BLS said, despite President Donald Trump’s pledge to boost blue-collar jobs by pressing industries to bring back factories from overseas.

The troubling jobs report was based upon BLS data that was mostly compiled by mid-February, which was customary for the BLS and was well before the impact of the Feb. 28 start of the war with Iran and the resulting spike in oil prices and stock market turmoil could be gauged.

In her comments on the BLS report, Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, placed the blame for job losses on the administration of former President Joe Biden. In a statement, DeRemer said, “I’m optimistic that job growth will continue as we undo the Biden-era catastrophe of soaring prices and stagnant wages.”

Kevin Hassett, director of the White House National Economic Council, also sought to shrug off the troubling signs in the BLS report that he said came as “something of a surprise,” since “the economy is really strong.” He told CNBC that the BLS report was influenced by winter storms and strikes on the West Coast but “on average it’s about what we expect to be seeing.”

Despite the overall loss of jobs in February, the numbers in the BLS report show that “employers still want to hire veterans,” Kevin Rasch, Warriors to Work regional director at the Wounded Warrior Project, said in a phone interview with Military Times.

In previous years, the task was to convince employers that veterans were assets to their workforce, Rasch said, “but now the word is out” that veterans bring reliability, discipline and leadership skills to the job.

As a result, the unemployment rate for veterans has consistently been in the 3-5% range, and “that’s a solid place for us to be.” The concern now is on how the conflict in the Middle East will affect the labor market going forward, Rasch said.

“There is definitely the potential for impact, so we’re definitely watching to see what happens, but right now all we can do is serve those we’re serving,” Rasch said.

The concerns about the jobs market are continuing to pile up, said Heather Long, chief economist for the Navy Federal Credit Union.

“The war in Iran only adds more uncertainty to an already uneasy mood. Companies are going to be even more reluctant to hire this spring until the war ends and they can see consumers still spending. It’s a tense time for the U.S. economy,” Long said in a statement to Military Times.

The comments drew immediate concern from Democratic senators who had pushed for Karen Brazell, the nominee for Veterans Affairs Under Secretary for Benefits, to dismiss the idea and support stronger protections for individuals currently receiving payouts for their military-connected injuries.

“The [benefits administration’s] core mission is to provide world-class service and benefits to our nation’s veterans, something they deserve and need,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., ranking member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

“You have been a part of this administration, so you’ve been a part of the policies and practices that have undermined the VA’s ability to deliver healthcare and benefits.”

White House taps nominees for VA’s top benefits, technology roles

Brazell, who currently serves as a senior advisor to VA Secretary Doug Collins, is expected to be confirmed to the senior department leadership post even with opposition from Senate Democrats. During her confirmation hearing Wednesday, numerous Republican lawmakers expressed support for her taking over the role.

However, the conflicts on display at the confirmation hearing hint at some of the broader fights to come with veterans disability compensation and pension benefits, which totaled more than $174 billion in fiscal 2024.

Brazell, who worked in VA’s office of enterprise integration during Trump’s first term in office, is an Army veteran and military spouse whose father also served. During her confirmation hearing, she spoke of the importance of making the benefits delivery process more streamlined and user-friendly.

But when pressed about potential changes to benefits eligibility, Brazell said only that her office “will ensure that all veterans are provided the benefits that they’ve earned.”

Democrats on the committee referenced past proposals supported by conservative leaders — including Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget — which would reduce certain benefits payouts, including cutting disability checks for veterans with ratings lower than 20% and dropping some compensated health conditions that aren’t directly related to military duty.

The proposals have not been formally backed by Trump or the current White House but have drawn significant preemptive opposition from veterans advocates.

Blumenthal pressed Brazell to reject those ideas outright. Instead, she promised a full review of operations.

“If confirmed, I will follow the law,” she said.

Collins and other senior department officials in recent months have pushed for significant cuts throughout VA, to include culling more than 30,000 federal jobs deemed expendable and canceling thousands of agency contracts.

But senior leaders have not proposed any broad changes to benefits or medical care eligibility, instead targeting individual programs aimed at specific groups, such as transgender veterans.

Still, several Democratic lawmakers said Brazell’s non-answers about the potential for benefits eligibility changes were disqualifying.

Committee leaders have not said when they will vote to advance Brazell’s nomination but hinted that a move could be made soon. Democrats on the committee have placed holds on all senior VA nominees, but Senate Republican leaders are discussing potential chamber rule changes to get around those parliamentary roadblocks.

Officials behind the 2025 Veterans Civic Health Index — compiled by the advocacy group We the Veterans and Military Families and the National Conference on Citizenship — said the findings likely reflect broader changes in community involvement and do not appear to be a sign of veterans stepping away from volunteer and leadership roles.

“We’re seeing, both across veterans and civilians, that there is a slight drop in many civic health measures,” said Chris Marvin, primary author of the report. “And we should be concerned about that.”

The report first debuted in 2021 and showed a significant gap in veterans’ willingness to volunteer with community groups, engage with local officials and participate in community activities.

Veterans vote, volunteer more than their civilian peers: survey

This year’s survey found a smaller gap. Veterans and civilians reported volunteering at similar rates (27% vs 28%), but veterans who gave time to local groups averaged 93 hours of in charitable work, compared to 69 hours for non-veterans.

Veterans were also more likely to donate to non-political causes (56% vs 50% for non-veterans), spend time talking to neighbors (33% vs. 28% for non-veterans) and belong to a local civic group (32% vs. 25% for non-veterans).

Nearly three-fourths of veterans surveyed (73%) voted in the 2024 elections, compared to about 66% for non-veterans. Roughly 64% of veterans voted in their last local election cycle, compared to 53% for non-veterans.

But most of those participation markers were below 2021 levels. The report said no single cause can be identified for the drop, but noted that the country’s increased political polarization in recent years and persistent misconceptions about widespread mental health issues among veterans may have played a factor.

Marvin said he hopes the findings underscore the need for civic groups to seek out and recruit veterans, not out of pity but out of need.

“So many organizations … their first thought is, ‘We need to help the poor, down-and-out veteran,’” he said. “Folks should be thinking, ‘I have a problem to solve, and who can help me solve it? Probably veterans.’”

The report also notes that family members connected to servicemembers and veterans also appear more likely to be connected to community causes, although research data into their contributions is less available than the veterans figures.

Ben Keiser, executive chairman of We the Veterans and Military Families, said officials hope to build on that work in coming years, to better show the full value they bring to local communities.

“If we’re more intentional about recruiting veterans and military family members, more will step up,” he said. “We’ll see more investment, and more in terms of absolute numbers of people volunteering.”

The full report will be available on the We the Veterans and Military Families website on Thursday.

“We know that existing treatments can help the majority of traumatized veterans, but none works for everyone,” said Brian Dempsey, government affairs director at Wounded Warrior Project, during a press conference outside the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday.

“We want to ensure that policy and science are moving together so that new treatments are being studied safely and effectively, and decisions are being made based on evidence, informed research and deep consideration of veteran health and safety. There is reason for hope in so many directions.”

The new Veteran Alliance for Leadership Outreach and Recovery (VALOR) — spearheaded by Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions and counting the Green Beret Foundation and the Navy Seal Foundation among its collaborators — launched this week with a goal of ensuring “broader access to treatments that show promise in addressing PTSD, TBI, and addiction issues.”

Suicides among veterans remain unchanged despite federal focus

Officials said that will include use of psychedelic-assisted medicines and programs offered outside of the U.S. but not approved as valid therapies at home. Coalition members intend to push for more research into the potential benefits and, if benefits are found, the adoption of the ideas for wider use.

About 17 veterans a day take their own lives, according to the latest statistics compiled by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recognizes September as national suicide prevention month.

Tuesday’s announcement included support from a host of lawmakers who served in the military and shared stories of veterans reaching out to them looking for more alternatives to traditional mental health treatment.

Several said they are hopeful they can introduce legislation on the alternative treatments in the near future but cautioned against moving too quickly on unfamiliar ideas.

“We have to put the legislators in their comfort zone and explain to them exactly what we’re trying to do,” said Rep. Morgan Luttrell, R-Texas, who previously served as a Navy Seal. “We have to show them the science. We have to present the ideas.

“So we want to move ahead, but at a very coordinated, controlled pace.”

Coalition members said they plan to start that education work right away, bringing more congressional offices into the group’s work and coordinating with outside organizations to find paths forward on research and innovation goals.

More information on the effort is available at the VALOR web site.

Veterans in need of emergency counseling can reach the Veterans Crisis Line by dialing 988 and selecting option 1 after connecting to reach a VA staffer. In addition, veterans, troops or their family members can also text 838255 for help, or visit VeteransCrisisLine.net for assistance.

Senate leaders late last week set up votes starting Tuesday on the must-pass military legislation, which includes spending plans for hundreds of Defense Department programs and the renewal of a host of military pay and benefits programs.

Meanwhile, the House Rules Committee will meet Monday afternoon to discuss its planned path forward on the bill. More than 1,000 amendments were filed by members to that version of the legislation, but few will be ruled in order and included in debate on the chamber floor.

Topics of friction in both the House and Senate will likely focus on National Guard deployments, budget total targets and social issue fights. Defense leaders in both chambers are hopeful a compromise bill can be crafted and passed before Thanksgiving, but complications from the looming government funding fight could delay that timeline.

Tuesday, Sept. 9

Wednesday, Sept. 10

Thursday, Sept. 11

Officials from the VA Inspector General’s Office estimated that roughly 5% of nonexpendable medical equipment — items including wheelchairs, hospital beds and blood monitors — has not been properly logged and accounted for within the department’s medical system. All together, the value of those items exceeds $210 million.

Another 4% of the equipment inventory surveyed by the investigators was considered excess or superfluous. And about one-third of the equipment was found in a different location than where officials had it listed in their official inventory files, casting doubts on how well the items were being tracked.

Trump claims big jump in VA trust scores, but data shows modest gains

“Medical facilities that do not annually inventory their nonexpendable equipment are at risk of mismanaging or losing those items,” the report stated. “Facilities also risk not assessing the condition of their medical equipment to make sure it works, is properly maintained, and readily available for patient care.

“Further, facilities may miss opportunities to plan for future equipment needs.”

In response to the findings, VA officials promised fixes by next spring to their inventory and oversight processes.

Planned changes include improvements to Veterans Health Administration Procurement and Logistics Office, which oversees more than 2.1 million items of nonexpendable equipment valued at about $12 billion.

They have also planned a new centralized system to report all lost, stolen or damaged hospital equipment, to provide for better accounting for gaps in resources. And department leaders said they will require more annual checks of existing equipment, which is required under VA policies but investigators said is not always completed.

The Veterans Health Administration is the largest health care system in America, with more than 9 million veterans enrolled and more than 1,300 medical sites spread across the country.

Officials in the current administration have promised to root out waste, fraud and abuse within hospital operations as a way to improve efficiency in care delivery and save taxpayer dollars. But critics of the efforts thus far have said those leaders have focused more on cutting staff than improving and simplifying operations.

The full report is available on the inspector general’s website.

Officials from We the Veterans & Military Families are unveiling today a series of public service announcements warning troops about “the exploitation of generative artificial intelligence by foreign adversaries and other bad actors” as part of a broader education effort about identity theft and financial attacks.

As computer-generated fraud becomes easier to create and spread quickly, the organizers worry the military community will become an even more attractive target for scammers, given the stable incomes and respected social standings of troops. Instead of waiting to be victimized, members of the military community should be on the front lines of identifying and thwarting the ruses, they argue.

“It has obviously been happening for years, but these scams are getting more and more sophisticated with the use of generative AI,” said Ellen Gustafson, a Navy spouse and executive director of the advocacy group. “We know that foreign adversaries are using them, and we know that they are targeting people across the country, especially using the veteran voice or the veteran brand.

“We should be the ones who know more about it, understand that targeting and attempted influence operations, and then be the ones that can call it out and not fall for it.”

Pentagon taps four commercial tech firms to expand military use of AI

The effort, part of the group’s Homefront Sentinel project, has as its centerpiece a short video message from fake service members generated completely by computer programming. They look and sound like real life troops, illustrating just how cutting-edge the technology available to criminals has become.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, military consumers nationwide reported over 99,000 fraud complaints last year, including almost 43,000 imposter scams. That subset of frauds alone cost troops and their families an estimated $178 million in 2024.

Officials with the campaign said statistics show that while military troops and spouses are taken advantage of by scammers at roughly the same rate as other civilians, the military victims are likely to lose more money.

Federal data shows scammers managed to collect about 20% more from military members or spouses than the average civilian, and total losses are rising steadily from year to year.

Gustafson said her group will be launching the campaign with a collection of veterans organizations, with the dual goal of getting community members to think critically about potential scams and help debunk ones they see online or on social media.

“For example, there are plenty of scams out there that are targeting average women, using fake military officials to get them to fall in love and send money,” she said. “That sullies the veteran and military family brand. And that’s where we think this community is important in helping to raise awareness and educate people.”

More information on the campaign is available at the group’s web site.

Verardo, 40, died on Aug. 26 from complications related to long-standing wounds sustained in a roadside bomb attack in April 2010. He lost two limbs and suffered significant burns in the ambush, and endured more than 120 surgeries over the last 15 years to address the injuries.

In a statement, officials from the Independence Fund said that Verardo “leaves behind a legacy that has profoundly shaped the veteran community, including inspiring many of The Independence Fund’s programs, advancing care within the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense, and forging enduring support networks for America’s wartime allies.”

VA leaders push back deadline for caregiver program changes to 2028

Among the expected attendees at his funeral services this morning in Weddington, N.C., are former Vice President Mike Pence, VA Secretary Doug Collins, Republican North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis and a host of other state and federal lawmakers.

On Sunday, North Carolina Governor Josh Stein ordered flags at state facilities to be flown at half staff until Tuesday evening, in honor of Verardo. Last week, President Donald Trump posted a tribute to Verardo on social media, saying his family’s service and sacrifice “exemplifies the spirit of America.”

Verardo’s involvement with the Independence Fund — founded in 2007 primarily to help provide wheelchairs and support equipment to wounded veterans — shifted the advocacy group from a regional charity to a regular fixture at White House events with Trump.

He and his wife, Sarah, first became involved with the group in 2012. By 2017, she was named executive director of the organization, and the pair frequently attended veterans events in the Oval Office and on Capitol Hill.

They became regular advisors to Trump’s Department of Veterans Affairs, sharing their stories of caregiving and recovery as part of broadening efforts by the group to influence policy changes.

In April, several dozen veterans from the Independence Fund attended a White House ceremony with Trump, Collins, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other Cabinet members to discuss challenges with VA services and offerings.

In a social media post last week, Sarah said she and the couple’s three daughters were heartbroken by the loss.

“He fought the good fight every single day and gave us everything he had,” she wrote. “I promised him that I will forever do relentless good in his honor.”

In a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., on Thursday, the chambers’ top Democrats — Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, both from New York — asked for a meeting on the looming fiscal issues early next week, to stave off a budget crisis.

“The government funding issue must be resolved in a bipartisan way,” the pair wrote. “That is the only viable path forward …

“It is past time you reveal your plans to meet the needs of the American people. Otherwise, it is clear that you have abandoned bipartisanship altogether and are preparing to shut down the government.”

Lawmakers have until Sept. 30 to pass a new budget for the next fiscal year (which starts Oct. 1) or approve a short-term extension of current agency funding levels.

Failure to do either will force a partial shutdown of most government activities until a new funding deal is reached.

Looming government shutdown could hurt military families, veterans

For the Department of Defense, that will mean shuttering of some non-essential base offices and training. Troops will still be expected to report for duty, but their paychecks may be delayed.

At the Department of Veterans Affairs, most hospital and benefits processing offices will remain open, thanks to advance funding approved for the agency in the past. But some information hotlines will be shut down, and other non-critical services will halt during the political impasse.

Neither Republican leader offered an immediate response to the Democratic leaders’ request. Both men have said that resolving the funding issue will be their top priority when Congress returns from its summer recess next week.

Although GOP lawmakers hold a majority in both chambers, several prominent Republicans have suggested they may not support a short-term budget deal, preferring to return to regular order in the appropriations process. But the majority of funding bills still have significant work to be completed before final passage.

That would mean at least some Democratic votes will likely be needed to approve any funding package and avoid a shutdown.

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump said he would meet with Schumer and Jeffries to discuss potential points of compromise, but added that “it’s almost a waste of time to meet because they never approve anything.”

Defense Department leaders have warned about the potential detrimental impact of a government shutdown on military operations, even if troops and essential personnel remain on the job. They said that shuttering support services for military families and disrupting long-term procurement plans undermines force readiness initiatives.

The last major government shutdown occurred in December 2018 during the first Trump administration and lasted for 35 days. That dispute, which centered on immigration policy and funding, did not include the Departments of Defense or Veterans Affairs, but did result in delayed paychecks for tens of thousands of U.S. Coast Guard personnel.

Lawmakers are expected to return to Capitol Hill on Tuesday, Sept. 2.

During an Oval Office event with military families on Monday, Trump praised the work of VA Secretary Doug Collins thus far, asserting that the department now has a “93% approval rating” under his leadership.

“We had a great first term and it was pretty close to that then,” he said. “And then [President Joe Biden’s administration] took over and it went down into the 30s and 20s. It went down at one point to 28% or 29%, which is terrible … But now you’ve blown everyone away, Doug.”

Trump’s boast appears to reference VA’s periodic survey of veterans who have used department health care services in the last 90 days. As of the start of August, the satisfaction rate with VA medical care sat at 92.8%, the highest mark in the 30 months that the survey has been conducted.

Trump, Hegseth float renaming Defense Department to Department of War

When that polling began in March 2023 — during the Biden administration — the figure was 90.4%. It has steadily improved nearly every month for the past two and a half years, regardless of which administration was in charge.

The broader VA Trust survey, conducted quarterly since early 2016, shows a similar story. At the start of Trump’s first term in the White House, only about 55% of veterans said they trusted the department to “fulfill our country’s commitment to veterans.” By the time Trump left office at the end of 2020, the number was up to nearly 79%.

VA data shows the trust score remained between 78% and 81% during Biden’s entire term in office, far above the under 30% that Trump claimed on Monday. The latest department update shows that 79.2% of veterans expressed confidence in the department at the start of the summer, down about 1% from a year earlier.

Department researchers also began an annual outpatient survey in fiscal 2017, during Trump’s first term in office, to gauge satisfaction rates.

That year, 85% of patients said they were happy with how agency staff handled their outpatient care appointments and procedures. At the end of Trump’s first term in office, it had risen to 89.1%. At the end of last fiscal year — the latest data available — the number was up to 92%.

Trump claimed the improvement in veterans perception of VA came because the previous administration “gave away choice and accountability … and we put them back.”

That claim has been at the root of continued political sparring between administration officials and Democratic critics of Trump’s veterans policies. Republicans in recent weeks have pushed through a series of reforms designed to make it easier for veterans to access health care options outside the VA system, but the impact of those moves still remains to be seen.

During Monday’s event, Collins noted that department officials have reduced the disability claims backlog by about 40% since January. That number has also been in steady decline for the last two years, since the backlog spiked to more than 400,000 cases after the passage of the PACT Act.

During an Oval Office press conference, Trump praised the work of National Guard troops around the nation’s capital and said that “after we do this, we’ll go to another location.” He specifically cited Chicago, attacking the mayor for allowing crime rates to rise there.

“We’re going to make our cities very, very safe,” he said. “Chicago is a mess … Probably that’ll be our next one after this, and it won’t even be tough. The people in Chicago, they are screaming for us.”

Hegseth signs memo authorizing arming of Guard in DC

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has already been fiercely critical of Trump’s declaration of a state of emergency in Washington, D.C., and the use of Guard troops there. Earlier this month, Johnson said his city will not “cower or bend or be intimidated by [Trump’s] attempts to divide and conquer our communities.”

Johnson has said that investment in social services like mental health care and family assistance are making positive changes in Chicago’s crime rate. But Trump — and conservative activists — have pushed for military involvement to clean up what they insist are urban areas on the brink of chaos.

Roughly 2,000 National Guard troops are currently deployed to Washington, D.C., with about 800 from the city’s ranks of Guardsmen. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has publicly objected to the federal takeover.

“I don’t think the National Guard should be used for law enforcement,” Bowser said during a press conference Monday. “Calling men and women from their homes, their jobs, and their families — they have to be used for mission-specific items that benefit the nation.”

Trump met with dozens of Guardsmen and law enforcement personnel on Thursday, thanking and praising them for their work thus far.

Earlier on Friday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memo authorizing Guard troops deployed in Washington, D.C., to carry weapons if their mission requires it. Defense Department officials did not say when those service members may be armed and what the impetus for the memo was.

During a radio appearance with host Todd Starnes, Trump said that the Guardsmen deployed around Washington have “done a fantastic job” and said he was planning to join them this evening on their rounds.

White House officials did not immediately release any details of the event.

JUST IN: President Trump tells me that he's going out on patrol tonight with DC law enforcement and the military. Listen to my full interview with the president at 12P ET on The Todd Starnes Show. Listen on more than 170 radio stations or https://t.co/C4rDVyY4gT or on our social…

— toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) August 21, 2025

Currently, about 800 D.C. National Guard personnel and around around 1,100 more Guardsmen from six states have been deployed throughout the city following Trump’s declaration of a “public safety emergency” in the district earlier this month.

Federal authorities have set up checkpoints to screen vehicles around the city, although critics have said much of the show of force has taken place in areas without significant crime issues.

White House officials said that in the last two weeks, law enforcement personnel have made more than 630 arrests (many for immigration violations) and seized 59 firearms. National Guard members are not directly making any arrests.

On Wednesday, during a photo op at Union Station, protesters jeered Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller as they met with Guard troops. But the administration officials dismissed the taunts and expressed confidence in the deployment success so far.

Also on Wednesday, a Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected All-Terrain Vehicle traveling as part of a convoy crashed into a civilian near Capitol Hill. The driver of the SUV had to be freed from the vehicle by firefighters and was sent to a nearby hospital with a minor head laceration, according to the local fire department.

Late last week, the Office of Personnel Management announced in an email to federal workers that they had canceled plans for the 2025 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, typically conducted each spring. Officials had said for months they were revising the poll to better focus questions on key workplace issues and not extraneous topics, such as diversity programs.

The survey is mandated under federal code and provides an annual snapshot of employee satisfaction. Administration officials have not said whether they will provide other avenues for tracking those metrics.

Earlier this summer, in response to questions about workforce changes, Veterans Affairs officials said they would conduct their own all-employee survey in conjunction with the FEVS.

VA severs ties with most federal unions, terminating worker contracts

However, after last week’s decision, VA press secretary Pete Kasperowicz said that his department “is following OPM’s lead on this issue and will not be conducting the VA All-Employee Survey this year.”

He also dismissed concerns that the absence of the polling data would ignore concerns within the department’s workforce.

“VA employees are happy the department is fixing many of the problems left by the Biden administration and is making improvements across the agency,” he said in a statement.

The VA All-Employee Survey has been conducted every year since 2006. In 2012, the results ranked the department as the second-worst large federal agency to work for, out of 19 departments. By 2024, that ranking had risen to fifth-best.

About 72% of VA employees surveyed said they were satisfied with their jobs in 2024, up from about 55% a decade before. Officials from President Joe Biden’s administration frequently cited the survey as evidence that they were making workforce improvements throughout VA.

Whether this year’s survey would have shown continued optimism or new problems will remain unknown. Union officials and critics of President Donald Trump have strongly objected to a host of workforce reforms by his administration in recent months, including trimming nearly 30,000 jobs from the department payroll since January.

Earlier this month, VA Secretary Doug Collins announced plans sever ties with most federal employee unions, terminating their collective bargaining contracts.

About 450,000 federal employees currently work at VA hospitals, benefits centers and other offices. In the past, nearly three-fourths of the workforce participated in the employee surveys.

But administration officials would not say what protections will be put in place for mail-in military voting rules, which impact more than 1 million active-duty service members each election cycle.

In a social media post Monday, Trump vowed to “get rid of mail-in ballots,” claiming they are used to commit widespread voter fraud. Multiple past independent reviews of state mail-in voting procedures and results do not support that claim.

The president also insisted in the post that “we are now the only country in the world that uses mail-in voting,” which is also false. Whether Trump can ban or limit mail-in voting remains unclear, since states handle their own mail-in voting rules.

However, any proposed or enacted changes could have significant consequences for military members and their families stationed overseas or outside of states where they are registered to vote. In the 2024 election cycle, more than 980,000 troops, family members and U.S. citizens living abroad cast ballots through the mail.

Mail-in voting is nothing new, just ask Civil War soldiers

In April, several military advocates joined a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of an executive order from Trump imposing stricter requirements for casting a ballot, including ending ballot counting after Election Day for votes delayed in the postal system and requiring extra documentation for voters who don’t appear in person to vote.

Currently, the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act requires states to transmit absentee ballots to eligible voters — including troops and their families — who have requested them, no later than 45 days before a federal election. That’s designed to give time to voters to complete their ballots and mail them back.

Participating voters must already submit proof of citizenship and voting eligibility, but the administration has pushed for further restrictions.

In response to a question on the latest mail-in ballot crackdown, White House deputy press secretary Harrison Fields said Trump’s goal is to “secure America’s elections and protect the vote, restoring the integrity of our elections by requiring voter ID, ensuring no illegal ballots are cast, and preventing cheating through lax and incompetent voting laws.”

Pentagon officials have not made any public comments about the impact mail-in voting changes could have on the military.

Last month, VA administrators launched a partnership with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to recover improper payments to medical providers who billed both agencies for patient services. An initial review found roughly $106 million in duplicate billings over a six-year period.

But that may be just the start. About 5.9 million veterans are dually enrolled in VA health care and Medicare, creating confusion in some instances regarding which government agency is responsible for covering the costs of appointments and medical procedures.

VA severs ties with most federal unions, terminating worker contracts

A new health care analysis released by the RAND Epstein Family Veterans Policy Research Institute on Tuesday found that nearly 84% of the 8.2 million veterans enrolled in the VA health care system have some form of secondary medical coverage, including Medicare, private insurance or Tricare services.

“Enrollment in multiple forms of health care coverage indicates potential inefficiencies and raises questions about whether different programs are making duplicative payments for the same care,” researchers noted in the report.

They argue that fixing the problem requires better tracking of which medical systems veterans are enrolled in and what services they are eligible for.

The report notes that while the Veterans Health Administration is already working with Medicare officials on fixes, “making further use of Medicare, TRICARE, private insurer, and Medicaid claims … in combination with VHA enrollment, utilization, and cost data would enable VHA to better track the sources of care for its enrolled veterans.”

RAND officials also recommended better education of patients about their medical options and eligibility, to help inform their choices.

VA officials said that new data-matching agreements with Medicare officials should help curb some of the problems in the future. But they also vowed to continue to look for areas of improvement, both with those two systems and other health care systems.

This weekend, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., raised concerns about potential delays in the deployed troops’ pay due to paperwork and assignment procedures. He asked for specific timelines on military pay for the roughly 800 D.C. National Guard personnel patrolling the streets of the nation’s capital.

“While I recognize that these soldiers will be compensated eventually, I am troubled by the prospect of servicemembers not knowing when they will be paid next,” Blumenthal, the top Democrat on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, wrote in a letter to White House and Pentagon officials.

“Any delay in compensation for their service will place many Guardsmen in financial hardship. Even though servicemembers understand that they will be compensated at some point, they should not have to wonder when exactly their next paycheck will come.”

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Pentagon officials declined to respond to questions about the affected troops’ pay, adding that they would follow up with the congressional request at some point in the future.

In addition to the 800 D.C. National Guard personnel, about 700 more Guardsmen from West Virginia, South Carolina and Ohio have been deployed throughout the city following President Donald Trump’s declaration of a “public safety emergency” in the district.

While pay for most Guard troops is handled through their respective states, the D.C. National Guard falls directly under the president’s command.

Blumenthal in his letter noted that the National Guard involved in the effort are missing out on “salaries, housing allowances and medical coverage” from their civilian jobs while performing their military duties. He argued that officials must ensure that none of the individuals involved face financial hardship because of the mobilization.

Critics have called the decision to militarize the city unnecessary and deliberately provocative, noting that many troops are patrolling tourist areas with few crime problems. Hundreds of city residents protested the move over the weekend.

However, White House officials contend that in the last week, law enforcement personnel have made more than 380 arrests (many for immigration violations) and seized 59 firearms. National Guard members are not directly making any arrests.

The move affects members of the American Federation of Government Employees, the AFL-CIO (AFGE), the National Association of Government Employees (NAGE), the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE), the National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU) and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

AFGE alone represents about 300,000 employees working for VA. About 80% of the department’s roughly 450,000-person staff are union members.

Department officials said the move was made to “make it easier for VA leaders to promote high-performing employees, hold poor performers accountable, and improve benefits and services to America’s veterans.”

In a statement, VA Secretary Doug Collins attacked the unions as inefficient and harmful to veterans’ care.

“Too often, unions that represent VA employees fight against the best interests of veterans while protecting and rewarding bad workers,” Collins said. “We’re making sure VA resources and employees are singularly focused on the job we were sent here to do: providing top-notch care and service to those who wore the uniform.”

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Members of President Donald Trump’s administration have fought with union officials for months. In April, VA stopped withholding union dues from most employee paychecks, citing an executive order excluding some federal agencies from labor-management relations programs.

Wednesday’s move does not impact unions representing 4,000 VA police officers, firefighters and security guards. Officials said the executive order does not apply to those positions.

Union leaders for months have protested against proposed cuts at VA and other federal agencies, arguing the smaller staffs will hurt delivery of benefits and health care. They’ve also accused Collins of working to “privatize” VA services by sending more money for medical appointments into civilian hospitals and medical offices, rather than VA clinics.

The unions have also filed numerous lawsuits against the president’s proposed changes to the federal bureaucracy. On Monday, a federal appeals court paused a preliminary injunction that had blocked department heads from making changes to collective bargaining agreements, allowing Wednesday’s contract terminations to move ahead.

At the time, AFGE National President Everett Kelley called the ruling “a setback for fundamental rights in America” and promised continued opposition to Trump’s proposals.

In a statement after Wednesday’s announcement, Kelley criticized Collins for attacking VA workers’ rights.

“[The] decision to rip up the negotiated union contract for majority of its workforce is another clear example of retaliation against AFGE members for speaking out against the illegal, anti-worker, and anti-veteran policies of this administration,” he said.

“We don’t apologize for protecting veteran healthcare and will continue to fight for our members and the veterans they care for.”

Officials from National Nurses United accused the Trump adminstration of “waging class warfare against working people of America” and similarly promised continued legal challenges.

“This president has made it clear he has no respect for the Constitution, but we believe strongly that our right to join together to collectively bargain is constitutionally protected,” the group said in a statement. “It cannot be swept away through an overreach of an executive order based on spurious claims.”

VA officials said that in addition to eliminating unneeded restrictions on hiring and firing policies, breaking union contracts will free up more than 187,000 square feet of office space currently being used by group representatives.

At the start of 2025, federal unions represented more than 1.3 million government workers across a host of agencies.

The news came just one day after the National Park Service unveiled plans to rebuild a statue commemorating Albert Pike, a Confederate brigadier general, just a few blocks from the U.S. Capitol.

The Arlington National Cemetery sculpture — made by Moses Ezekiel, a Confederate veteran — was first installed at the site in 1914 after a campaign by the United Daughters of the Confederacy to promote positive aspects of the separatist movement.

The monument was often referred to as “the Confederate memorial” and featured a bronze woman standing on a 32-foot pedestal. Below her, details featured the coat of arms of the 13 Confederate States (and Maryland), with figures of Confederate soldiers and two Black figures implied to be slaves.

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In 2022, an independent commission recommended the memorial be taken down, calling it “problematic from top to bottom.” It was removed in December 2023 and stored in a secure Department of Defense facility in Virginia for the last few years.

In a social media post Tuesday, Hegseth criticized that decision, calling critics “woke lemmings” and saying the history of the Confederacy should be honored.

Defense Department officials did not say when the monument would be restored.

During his time in office, President Joe Biden made several moves to remove names and symbols honoring the Confederacy at military sites, arguing the pro-slavery message of the movement had no place in the modern fighting force.

But President Donald Trump has repeatedly decried those moves as erasing history. In June, he announced plans to revert the designations of seven Army installations previously named for Confederate fighters, although changed slightly to honor different military individuals without ties to the overthrow of the U.S. government.

Shortly after the Civil War, U.S. officials barred Confederate soldiers from being interned at Arlington Cemetery because of their actions against the union. But a bill passed by Congress in 1900 reversed that, establishing a separate burial area for those troops in Section 16.

Department leaders on Monday said the change is needed to ensure that veterans’ medical care outside the federal health systems is not delayed or disrupted by cumbersome regulation. Currently, patients need to get reauthorizations every three to six months for the community care appointments.

“No veteran should have their health care disrupted by red tape,” VA Secretary Doug Collins said in a statement announcing the new policy. “This change means better continuity of care, which leads to better health outcomes. It also improves convenience for veterans and cuts administrative work for VA staff and community care partners.”

The list of specialty services covered includes cardiology, dermatology, endocrinology, neurology, psychiatric outpatient treatments, optometry, some orthopedic work and addiction medicine.

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Officials said the year-long authorizations will allow community providers “to manage care with fewer administrative barriers and greater flexibility” while also reducing paperwork for veteran patients.

Community care has been a topic of controversy within the department since President Donald Trump’s first term in office. He frequently promised to expand “choice” for veterans in their health care, charging that many faced long wait and travel times for federal health care.

But Democrats on Capitol Hill have charged that outsourcing too much of veterans medical care to the private sector amounts to privatizing the department’s health care responsibilities, and that the oversight of non-VA clinics is already too lax.

They have also charged that outside clinics don’t face the same standards and scrutiny as department-run health offices, which could lead to substandard care for veterans if VA experts are not closely monitoring patients’ medical progress.

Despite the concerns, community care usage has risen significantly in recent years. In fiscal 2017, the department paid for nearly 27 million outside care appointments, roughly 27% of VA total scheduled medical visits. By fiscal 2023, that number had grown to almost 47 million, about 39% of the total.

Budget plans for fiscal 2026 call for community care programs to rise to roughly $34 billion in spending, almost four times the total a decade ago.

And last week, lawmakers on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee advanced plans for revamped standards for community care appointments, a move designed to codify eligibility triggers for outside care programs. House Democrats had strongly opposed an early draft of the bill, but the revised Senate measure passed out of committee with bipartisan support.

House Veterans’ Affairs Committee ranking member Mark Takano, D-Calif., voted against the measure and called Monday’s policy change an attempt to shift more medical care from the federal system into private practices.

“VA is abdicating its responsibility to provide care coordination,” he said. “The Trump Administration’s push to outsource VA care puts veterans with complex care needs at serious risk of falling through the cracks, as VA shifts more responsibility for coordination onto a private sector that is neither equipped nor accountable to manage their care the way VA can.”

But Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, took to social media in support of the change.

“By extending community care authorizations for 30 health care specialties, VA is cutting through red tape and bringing greater consistency to the delivery of care for veterans,” he wrote.

A full list of medical services covered under the new rules is available on the VA web site.

The decision — outlined in a post in the Federal Register — would undo the September 2022 order by the previous presidential administration allowing VA medical personnel to conduct abortions in cases of rape, incest and pregnancies that endanger the life or health of an individual.

That policy marked the first time VA physicians were permitted to perform abortions on federal property, even in states where it had been outlawed. The new interim rule revokes that authority, and will require patients seeking abortions to seek that medical care outside the VA system.

In a statement accompanying the proposal, department officials said the move is designed “to ensure that VA provides only needed medical services to our nation’s heroes and their families.” They argued that the decision to provide abortion services was a political one, and not a response to need.

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In June 2022, the Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling legalizing abortion nationwide. Since then, 20 states have outlawed or severely restricted abortion services, prompting a national debate over federal departments’ responsibilities and limits in regards to reproductive health services for women veterans.

The rule has been in the works since late July, but has not been publicized by department leaders or White House officials. Per federal regulations, the proposal will now undergo public comment and additional review before becoming permanent policy, but is essentially already being enforced within the department.

It impacts individuals using both VA health care services and the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Abortion rights advocates decried the move as an attack on critical medical options for veterans and their family members.

“This proposed rule is a smack in the face to those who have served our country and their loved ones, stripping pregnant women of their bodily autonomy and restricting their access to abortion,” said Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward.

“Once again, extreme politicians are attempting to interfere in patient-doctor decision-making, intentionally eroding the trust between pregnant people and their medical providers.”

Nancy Northup, president and CEO at the Center for Reproductive Rights, said the move deprives veterans of “life-changing” health care options.

“After veterans put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms, the Trump administration is trying to rob them of their own freedoms and putting their health at risk,” she said. “This administration is sending a clear message to veterans: that their health and dignity aren’t worth defending.”

Democratic lawmakers voiced similar concerns.

“The bottom line is, Republicans don’t care if your health is in danger, if you’re a veteran, or if you’ve been raped — they want abortion outlawed everywhere, in every circumstance, for everyone,” Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. and a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, said in a statement over the weekend.

“This administration has shown nothing but callous disregard for veterans’ lives, their health care, and their livelihoods—especially when those veterans happen to be women.”

But Republican lawmakers praised the move, accusing President Joe Biden’s administration of overreach with the changes made three years ago.

“Taxpayers do not want their hard-earned money spent on paying for abortions and VA’s sole focus should always be providing service-connected health care and benefits to the veterans they serve,” a group of six House lawmakers led by House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bost, R-Ill., said in a statement. “House Republicans, alongside President Trump, will always stand up for the sanctity of life.”

In their Federal Register filing, VA leaders said the change will not prevent physicians from providing life-saving care in cases of ectopic pregnancies or miscarriages, since other provisions within the law already mandate those protections.

They also pushed back on the presumed demand for abortion services within the veterans community. Department statistics show that roughly 100 veterans and 40 CHAMPVA beneficiaries have received abortions through VA medical centers annually since the policy change in 2022.

But Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee ranking member Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., noted in his criticism of the rule change that nearly 500,000 women veterans of reproductive age are enrolled in VA health care, with more than half of them living in states with abortion restrictions.

“We cannot let VA stop providing this care to veterans by ripping away this narrow, targeted protection,” he said in a statement. “I will be fighting as hard and long as possible to reverse this cruel, dangerous new policy.”

The public comment period on the new rule change is open until Sept. 5.

In contrast to a series of contested nomination votes this week, the military confirmations were done by a simple voice vote without objection. The moves fill several top Pentagon and military service slots ahead of the congressional summer break, allowing the leaders to step into their roles in the coming days.

Adm. Daryl Caudle, who has been the commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command since 2021, was approved as the next chief of naval operations, ending a nearly six-month vacancy in that role.

The Trump administration had dismissed previous CNO Adm. Lisa Franchetti without a stated reason on Feb. 21. Adm. James Kilby has been filling in as acting CNO since then.

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Caudle testified at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on July 24 that America is “in the midst of a crucial era, defined by global competition, technological saturation and unpredictable threats that challenge our American dream.”

He addressed issues of environmental remediation at Red Hill, issues with a bloated budget for the dry dock replacement at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and Navy accountability for late deliveries and mistakes made in defense programs, among other issues.

Caudle has also criticized manning shortages, a sentiment that aligns with the Trump administration’s intention to overhaul the maritime industrial base.

Also on Thursday, Lt. Gen. Shawn Bratton was confirmed as vice chief of the Space Force, replacing Gen. Michael Guetlein. Last month, Defense Department officials announced Guetlein would step aside from the role in order to lead the new Office of Golden Dome for America, coordinating efforts for that defense project.

Vice Adm. Frank Bradley was named the next head of U.S. Special Operations Command. Lt. Gen. Dagvin Anderson was confirmed as the first Air Force general to lead U.S. Africa Command.

Marine Corps Maj. Gen. David Bligh, who currently serves as the staff judge advocate to the commandant of the Marine Corps, will take over as the judge advocate general of the Navy, the first Marine to hold that post in more than a century.

And Lt. Gen. Michael Borgschulte was confirmed as the next superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy. He’s the first Marine to hold that post, although his appointment comes amid controversy.

Vice Adm. Yvette Davids, the school’s first female superintendent, had led the academy since January 2024 but was reassigned by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth amid a host of reforms at the school.

The Senate could approve more senior defense posts in coming days. Lawmakers were expected to debate through the weekend on clearing a backlog of nominations pending in the chamber, and Trump has suggested cancelling the Senate’s planned August recess altogether to finish the work.

Mason — who previously served as the first woman ever to chair the Board of Veterans Appeals — was approved for the VA Inspector General post by a 53-45 margin, with all of the opposition coming from Democrats.

She replaces former VA Inspector General Mike Missal, who served in the role from April 2016 to January 2025, when he was dismissed by President Donald Trump.

He and seven other fired federal watchdogs have sued the White House over their dismissals, claiming they were done without proper reason or notification. That legal case is still pending.

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For months, the firings have drawn criticism from Democratic lawmakers, who see them as an attempt to install administration-friendly officials in the key oversight offices. It has also generated extra scrutiny of Mason’s nomination, since she worked for several months alongside the senior VA leaders she will now be charged with investigating.

Ahead of Mason’s confirmation vote Thursday, Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee ranking member Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., called her “one of the most partisan and least independents we’ve seen in nominees for an inspector general post in recent years.”

He questioned whether she could provide proper oversight for the department, noting her collaboration with Secretary Doug Collins on staffing reforms and her time spent advising Trump’s presidential transition team.

During her confirmation hearing before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee in June, Mason pledged to be unbiased in her work looking into waste, fraud and abuse at the department and even-handed in her reports to Congress.

“I consider myself to be an impartial, independent aide to the department,” she said. “I am loyal to the veterans. That’s who I serve. That’s who I’m loyal to. I work for the president and the [VA] secretary, but also, if confirmed, I will work for this committee.”

Her confirmation had been stalled for several weeks by a series of Democratic holds, both over her qualifications and related to broader concerns about department cuts and public transparency.

Republican leaders in the Senate have spent most of this week — the last scheduled week of work until September for the chamber — forcing through a series of administration nominations blocked by the minority party.

Mason is the wife and daughter of military veterans and has been a public advocate for military spouse employment opportunities in the past. She worked on the Board of Veterans Appeals during both the first Trump administration and while President Joe Biden was in office.

She is expected to be sworn into the new role in coming days.

The 54-44 vote fell mainly along party lines, with only Nevada’s two Democratic senators — Jackie Rosen and Catherine Cortez Masto — breaking ranks to side with Republicans on the confirmation.

Brown, 41, is now poised to take over one of five most senior leadership posts at VA, overseeing maintenance and operations at 155 national cemeteries in 42 states as well as commemorative sites in other locations.

He is a West Point alumnus who served in the Army for five years after graduation. During a deployment to Afghanistan in 2008, he was severely wounded by an improvised explosive device.

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Brown suffered burns on nearly a third of his body, including his face and neck, and lost part of his hand in the attack. After his medical retirement from the military, he founded a firm that provided medications to veterans whose government benefits did not provide all the care they needed.

In a statement on social media late Tuesday night, Brown said he was “humbled and honored to give you all my best, again” in the new role.

After the Senate confirmed my nomination to be Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs tonight, I prayed with my family to thank God for guiding us to this point.

I thanked Amy and our kids for supporting my efforts to serve the great USA again. And, I closed my prayer in asking… pic.twitter.com/sYXE0hHuR7

— Sam Brown (@CaptainSamBrown) July 30, 2025

Brown was tapped by President Donald Trump for the leadership post in early January, even before the new commander-in-chief was sworn into office. But his nomination has been stalled in the Senate for months by Democratic lawmakers upset over a host of department moves and what they claim is a lack of communication from VA Secretary Doug Collins.

Several senators have put holds on all VA nominees, but the Republican majority has the ability to override those blocks by going through time-consuming parliamentary procedures. Brown’s confirmation vote came amid a flurry of work on stalled nominations this week, ahead of a planned chamber recess for the month of August.

Congrats Sam Brown! He will be an excellent Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs. https://t.co/ueBDbZLnzJ

— VA Secretary Doug Collins (@SecVetAffairs) July 30, 2025

Trump has pushed lawmakers to cancel that recess and continue pushing through the list of stalled nominees. Republican leaders in the chamber so far have not committed to that, but are hoping to clear a significant portion of the backlog in coming days.

As such, Brown may not be the last senior VA leader to get a vote this week. On Tuesday, Republican leaders queued up a potential vote on senior Veterans Affairs advisor Cheryl Mason to serve as the next Inspector General of the department. Democrats have objected to her nomination because of questions about her independence in the watchdog role.

Brown is expected to be formally sworn in to his new role in the next few days.

They argue that the executive order, signed July 24, would force veterans into institutions without considering their available options and discourage individuals from seeking help for multiple, interrelated issues.

“Veterans fought for this country,” officials from the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans said in a statement on Friday. “They have earned the dignity of a hand up in the way of investments in housing, mental health, and substance abuse treatment, and additional supportive services — not surveillance and detention.”

President Donald Trump’s executive order — “Ending crime and disorder on America’s streets” — would allow local officials to remove homeless individuals from public areas and permit those authorities to commit those Americans to drug treatment centers or other public health institutions.

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“Shifting homeless individuals into long-term institutional settings for humane treatment through the appropriate use of civil commitment will restore public order,” the president’s order states. “Surrendering our cities and citizens to disorder and fear is neither compassionate to the homeless nor other citizens.”

The document also outlines ending support for “housing first” policies, which administration officials argue “deprioritize accountability and fail to promote treatment, recovery, and self-sufficiency.”

Homeless advocates have said that research shows the opposite. They insist that providing stable housing to individuals facing a host of mental health and financial problems gives them more security to clean up other aspects of their lives without worrying about where they will sleep at night.

“This deprives people of their basic rights and makes it harder to solve homelessness,” officials from the National Homelessness Law Center said in a statement shortly after the White House release. “This executive order is rooted in outdated, racist myths about homelessness and will undoubtedly make homelessness worse.”

The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s annual point-in-time count conducted in early 2024 found roughly 33,000 veterans living on the street without stable housing, a reduction of about 2,700 individuals from the 2023 count.

That number is less than half the estimated 74,000 homeless veterans nationwide in 2010, when then-President Barack Obama announced a federal government goal of ending veteran homelessness.

But some areas — in particular, Los Angeles — have struggled to reduce those totals further in recent years. Advocates have pushed for more resources and fewer restrictions for community groups, but conservatives have questioned whether more funding will produce continued results.

Officials from NCHV warned that involuntary hospitalization and institutionalization of homeless individuals instead of relying on community coordination of care may actually worsen the problem.

“For veterans — many of whom live with service-connected trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder or other mental health conditions — forced treatment can retraumatize rather than heal,” they said in their statement.

“Moreover, institutionalization is often more expensive than providing housing and outpatient care and can be traumatic for individuals who are mandated into treatment settings without their consent. Veterans deserve access to voluntary, trauma-informed care in community settings, not confinement.”

Trump’s executive order drew immediate condemnation from Democratic critics, who said it was motivated by cost-cutting illusions rather than sound problem-solving policies.

“Hundreds of thousands of veterans rely on the incredibly successful HUD and VA housing assistance programs,” House Veterans’ Affairs Committee ranking member Mark Takano, D-Calif., said. “This directive misdiagnoses the root causes of homelessness – particularly among veterans – and proposes punitive measures that will punish and endanger the very people it claims to help.

“Instead of getting veterans off the street, this misguided approach delays that process and puts handcuffs on those vulnerable veterans. It will exacerbate the homelessness crisis.”

White House and Department of Justice officials have not yet outlined exactly how the new order will be enforced, and when local officials might be able to change their approach to homeless response without legal concerns.

Veterans Affairs officials have not announced any changes in their grant programs or assistance efforts as a result of the new order.

In May, VA Secretary Doug Collins said that officials had begun work on Trump’s ideas for a new “National Center for Warrior Independence” in Los Angeles to provide more housing and employment support for the estimated 3,000 homeless veterans living there. He also promised continued focus on the issue in coming months.