Veteran says he was fired from VA after complaining about anti-DEI emails
Nationwide VA cuts begin in Southern California
Thousands of Veterans Affairs employees are expected to be fired due to cuts from the Trump administration. A decorated veteran from the VA Medical Center believes he was let go after speaking out against anti-DEI initiatives.
LOS ANGELES - A decorated Army veteran is speaking out after he was fired from the VA. He said the decision was unfair, and now it could impact thousands of veterans nationwide.
What we know:
Jesus Tony Ruiz, a disabled Army veteran, worked at the West Los Angeles VA as a Veteran's services representative.
Ruiz believes he was among the first to be targeted after he complained about anti-DEI emails sent by the acting secretary to VA employees.
"We got a bunch of emails from our department saying 'DEI is terrible. It's divisive for the American people. It's wasteful spending'. And we're sitting here going, we're VA employees, and we're sitting here looking at political messages. And we complained," Ruiz told FOX 11.
Shortly after filing his complaint, Ruiz said he was ordered to attend a Zoom meeting with his superior and a member of DOGE.
"He goes, ‘Jesus Ruiz, today is your last day. You’re no longer a viable employee to the VA. You're a disgrace. We don't need you anymore.'"
Firing grabs national attention
What they're saying:
Ruiz' firing grabbed the attention of Nancy Pelosi; but he's just one of 80,000 nationwide Veterans Affairs employees impacted by the Trump administration's planned cuts.
A memo was sent out announcing a nationwide reduction in the force, a decision that has been met with strong opposition from veterans.
"What is going on here? They're going to cut our benefits. Are you kidding me," a veteran said during a protest.
RELATED: Trump may cut 80,000 VA employees, memo reportedly says
The Trump administration said the cuts won't affect veterans' benefits, but more than 25% of VA workers are veterans. Ruiz also warns that processing claims for benefits will take much longer.
"To see a doctor to get their health insurance, to get any kind of coverage whatsoever. And what's happening, too, is all these impacts are leading down to the veterans," Ruiz added.
He said if he could talk with Trump or Elon Musk he'd ask them to stop and think about the veterans.
VA responds
The other side:
VA Press Secretary Pete Kasperowicz issued a statement to FOX 11 on Saturday, saying, "Under President Trump, VA is laser-focused on providing the best possible care and benefits to Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors. We are proud to have abandoned the divisive DEI policies of the past and pivot back to VA’s core mission. We look forward to reallocating the millions of dollars the department was spending on DEI programs and personnel to better serve the men and women who have bravely served our nation." For more info, see here.