VA secretary says he will ‘make decisions best for’ employees, veterans when asked about DOGE

Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins on Sunday said he will “make decisions best for” employees of his department and veterans when asked about recommendations from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

“When you hear recommendations from DOGE, how do you receive them?” NewsNation’s Chris Stirewalt asked Collins on “The Hill Sunday.”

“I receive it as, ‘I’m the secretary of VA,'” Collins responded. “And at the end of the day, I’m gonna make decisions best for my employees and best for the veterans, and they’re giving us some good advice, looking with fresh eyes.”

Tech billionaire Elon Musk and DOGE have been taking intense aim at the federal government, offering buyouts to and laying off workers en masse. 

Earlier this month, The New York Times reported that Musk and Secretary of State Marco Rubio clashed in a recent Cabinet meeting, with Musk going after Rubio for not firing a large portion of the workforce at the State Department.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy also alleged during the same Cabinet meeting, according to the Times, that DOGE staffers had tried to terminate air traffic controllers. A number of notable plane crashes in the last few months have resulted in increased conversations about the importance of air traffic controllers to aviation safety.

“We’re going to do everything we possibly can to make sure that the veteran experience gets better,” Collins also said Sunday, adding that he believes “that’s the biggest issue that we have.”

When asked about “the way Elon Musk and DOGE are dealing with workers employed by the federal government,” a recent Quinnipiac University poll found that 60 percent of surveyed registered voters said they were not supportive of it. Thirty-six percent said they supported how Musk and DOGE were dealing with federal workers.

A White House spokesperson told The Hill in an email that “DOGE is fulfilling President Trump’s commitment to making government more accountable, efficient, and, most importantly, restoring proper stewardship of the American taxpayer’s hard-earned dollars.”

“Those leading this mission with Elon Musk are doing so in full compliance with federal law, appropriate security clearances, and as employees of the relevant agencies, not as outside advisors or entities,” the spokesperson continued.

Updated at 11:36 p.m. EDT