Torrey Pines, San Diego VA Medical Center (Photo: Roman Eugeniusz)
Update 1: it is currently unclear if and how the Trump administration’s separate offer to all federal employees to resign in exchange for eight month’s severance will impact the VA.
Update 2: All VA grant, loan, and financial assistance programs have been reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget and have been cleared to continue.
Update 3: The VA has issued a memo noting that roles that affect Veterans benefits and services are also exempt from the hiring freeze.
VA officials announced Thursday that over 300,000 health care positions within the department are exempt from President Donald Trump’s federal hiring freeze, designating them as critical to public health and VA operations. The move follows widespread concerns from lawmakers, Veterans’ groups, and advocates about the potential harm the freeze could cause to Veteran care.
Acting VA Secretary Todd Hunter’s memo outlined 39 exempted roles, including nurses, mental health providers, physical therapists, and medical records administrators. These roles account for about two-thirds of the VA’s workforce. The memo also ensures that employees set to begin before February 8 can start as planned, while job offers beyond that date remain temporarily revoked. Positions related to Veterans’ benefits processing could also be exempted if properly justified. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Jerry Moran praised the exemption of health care jobs, saying it ensures Veterans continue to receive necessary care.
The hiring freeze, one of Trump’s first executive orders, reduces the size of the federal workforce by halting new hires. While exceptions were made for military, immigration enforcement, and public safety roles, concerns grew about its impact on VA operations, particularly at medical facilities already struggling with staffing shortages. The freeze prompted many federal agencies to rescind job offers, disrupting operations at VA facilities like the soon-to-open Fredericksburg VA Health Care Center, which faces delays in becoming fully operational.
The more extensive hiring freeze, implemented to make the federal government more efficient, has drawn intense criticism from lawmakers and Veterans’ advocates. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) called it a “betrayal of our Veterans,” while others warned it risks delaying care and increasing the burden on already strained VA resources.
In addition to the federal hiring freeze, the VA has closed multiple diversity, equity, and inclusion, DEI, offices across the department, following White House guidance. This decision placed at least 60 employees on administrative leave.
Hunter defended the closures, stating that these programs “divided Americans by race, wasted taxpayer dollars, and resulted in shameful discrimination.”
However, the move has left many VA employees on edge, with critics warning it could harm morale and inclusivity within the agency. Union groups and Democratic lawmakers remain critical, arguing that the hiring freeze and DEI office closures weaken the department’s ability to attract and retain qualified employees.
At his Senate confirmation hearing, VA Secretary nominee Doug Collins acknowledged the department was still working to determine which positions are impacted by the freeze. While Collins expressed confidence that White House efficiency measures would not reduce Veterans’ benefits, lawmakers pressed him to fight for additional exemptions to protect critical VA roles.
As the VA navigates the freeze and its implications, the department faces growing pressure to ensure its policies align with its mission to serve Veterans effectively.
Author: Rikki Almanza
Rikki is a Web Content Coordinator for the American Legion, Department of California. With a deep-rooted connection to the military, a spouse who is a Navy veteran, a father who served in the Air Force for 25 years, and a grandfather who proudly served, Rikki is committed to using her skills and knowledge to provide valuable assistance and resources to servicemembers and veterans.