The Trump administration dismissed a report from the Guardian on Monday which claimed that new Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals might deny care to veterans based on factors like marital status or political affiliation.
Early Monday, the Guardian published an article discussing new rules being implemented by VA hospitals in light of an executive order signed by Trump earlier this year.
On his first day of the second term, Trump issued an order titled “Defense Women from Gender Ideological Extremism and Restore Biological Truths to the Federal Government,” mandating that the federal government recognize only two biological genders.
The documents obtained by the Guardian indicated that “doctors and other medical staff can refuse to treat veterans based on their marital status, political party affiliation, or union activities.”
VA spokesperson Peter Kasperowicz, a former editor at Fox News Digital, reportedly did not reject the notion that care could be denied based on those factors.
In contrast, White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly strongly contested the Guardian’s claims. She responded to the article’s writer, stating, “This is a totally false story. The Guardian should retract it immediately. It’s shameful they would try to score clicks at the expense of veterans.”
The VA also denied the report, asserting that “all eligible veterans are always welcome in the VA and will receive the benefits and services they have earned under the law.”
Some hospitals have started to revise their bylaws, but the exact impact of these amendments is still uncertain for those involved with Veterans Benefits.
Kyleanne Hunter, CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, noted that the VA has historically advocated for extensive anti-discrimination policies. However, in response to Trump’s executive order, some bylaws have reportedly been narrowed, now only covering federally protected classes like race, religion, and gender, without specific rules against discrimination toward non-protected classes.
She explained, “With over 140 VA Medical Centers, each having different bylaws, we can’t yet determine where changes have been made.” Hunter emphasized the need to gather more information on how widespread these bylaw changes are and their real impact on veterans.
Expressing concern for VA employees caught in the middle of this situation, Hunter said, “They are deeply committed to serving all veterans, and I’m worried that the framing of this issue could further harm morale among the staff.”
