In a surprising policy shift, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced Monday that it will no longer pursue the large-scale layoffs it once planned. Initially, the Trump administration aimed to slash the VA workforce by as many as 83,000 employees as part of a broader U.S. DOGE Service reform initiative.
The Veterans Affairs now says it won’t carry out large-scale layoffs, reversing earlier plans to cut tens of thousands of jobs.
However, a new VA statement clarified that the department is now on pace to reduce its staff by nearly 30,000 workers by the end of this fiscal year through natural attrition and strategic workforce adjustments. This shift has effectively eliminated the need for a formal reduction in force (RIF) or mass job cuts.
The decision marks a notable reversal from internal plans outlined in a memo from March, in which VA Secretary Douglas A. Collins has defended the layoffs as “tough but necessary.” Monday’s update signals a more measured approach to restructuring, in contrast to mass layoffs seen in other federal agencies.
