America's Forgotten Frontline: Inside the VA During Trump's Shutdown

The United States government has entered its second month of a shutdown, and for the nation’s veterans, the fallout is becoming difficult to ignore. The system responsible for caring for the Americans who just finished fighting a 20-year war is grinding to a halt – even as Washington continues to protect its global spending priorities.

Defense budgets remain insulated. Billions in foreign aid to allies like Israel, Ukraine, and now Argentina are guaranteed through appropriations or outright will. The money for projecting American power never stops; only the support for those who carried it out does.

Inside the Department of Veterans Affairs, the mood is described as silent and surreal – like a mission with no command. Many are still showing up to work during the shutdown without pay, trying to keep disability claims moving and answer phones that don’t stop ringing. Supervisors who once sent daily guidance have gone quiet. The sense of order that once defined the agency has evaporated, replaced by an anxious silence that feels more like neglect than discipline.

A System in Limbo

The shutdown has exposed just how fragile the VA’s foundation has become. Entire regional offices are shuttered to the public. Transition programs meant to help recently separated service members find jobs or housing are suspended.

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