Cutting veterans’ suicide prevention in the name of efficiency is a fatal mistake

Earlier this month, in alignment with directives from President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, Secretary Doug Collins announced his intention to eliminate over 70,000 positions from the Department of Veterans Affairs. For emphasis, he pointedly added, “So get used to it.”

Collins quickly signaled what he plans to cut. During a speech for the American Legion, he criticized the billions spent on suicide prevention efforts, noting that the yearly veteran suicide number — roughly 6,500 — has barely changed.