A swing district Republican is raising concerns that the Trump administration’s layoffs championed by Elon Musk are disproportionately hurting veterans.
GOP Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA) wrote a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Monday urging the Department of Defense to limit veteran layoffs, pushing back against cuts that she said could weaken U.S. security.
“Any reductions or reforms to the size and scope of the federal government that risk weakening our defense capabilities, particularly as we face increasing global threats, are unacceptable,” she said in a statement.
Kiggans is a former Navy helicopter pilot and represents a district with the second largest veteran population, which includes Virginia Beach. Veterans make up about 6% of the adult U.S. population but more than 30% of the federal workforce.
“These layoffs are not just a loss of jobs but also a loss of the skilled workforce that is essential to ensuring our defense readiness,” Kiggans wrote to Hegseth.“I was encouraged to hear President Trump pledged that he would work to minimize job losses for veterans. I hope the DoD is following that promise.
“At a time when we are seeing global instability rise and increased threats from adversaries like China and Russia, it is vital that we protect our skilled workforce and focus on maintaining a robust and capable Department of Defense,” Kiggans continued in the letter.
The congresswoman asked three things of Hegseth: protect more veterans in staffing reductions, provide timely support for transitioning veterans, and use veterans to strengthen national security.
Since Trump’s inauguration earlier this year, Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency has aimed its efforts at slashing government agencies and shrinking the federal workforce, which in turn has led to thousands of layoffs across the country. Late last month, the DoD announced 5,400 probationary workers would be fired along with a hiring freeze put in place.
Musk and the Department of Justice have been challenged by lawsuits claiming the billionaire’s overreach when accessing guarded government data, which includes sensitive information about the American public.
This letter comes after members of Congress across the country have held town halls where they have repeatedly heard increasing concerns over DOGE cuts, as much of the GOP continues to back Musk’s moves.
“I’m not a Democrat, but I am worried about the veterans,” a constituent told Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) last weekend at a town hall meeting.
Democrats have leaned in to highlighting the cuts DOGE has made across the federal workforce as many of them plan on bringing people who have been hurt by these cuts as guests to President Donald Trump’s first joint address to Congress of his second administration Tuesday evening.
The Defense Department declined comment to the Washington Examiner, noting it would respond directly to the lawmaker.
