Hundreds of local protestors came out Friday in West Chester to address cuts to the Veterans Administration by President Donald Trump. Image courtesy of Erica Deuso.
Hundreds of local residents and elected official gathered Friday at the Historic West Chester courthouse to protest cuts to veterans’ benefits and the slashing of thousands of jobs throughout the Veterans’ Administration (VA).
Local elected officials including State Rep. Paul Friel, Rep. Dan Williams, Rep. Kristine Howard, and Rep. Chris Pielli attended and spoke at the event, decrying job cuts to as many as 80,000 jobs in the federal Department of Veterans Affairs.
Pielli, a veteran, noted that the VA was already unstaffed and that cutting personnel will make things even worse, leading even longer wait times for health services.
“Right now, veterans are waiting an average of six to nine months for VA claims decisions,” Pielli said. “That’s too long. With these proposed job cuts, these wait times will increase to nearly a year or more. That’s unacceptable. And DOGE has already gotten started. Since the start of the year, twenty-four hundred workers in the VA have been laid off, disrupting supply chains and backlogging medication requests by a full week. And that’s just 3% of the staff they plan to fire.
“Elon and Trump don’t get it. We are not suckers and losers. This isn’t a business. This isn’t about profit margins. This is about people. True American patriots who were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for our country, if necessary, who now need our help. As a U.S Army soldier, I swore to support, obey and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic. I made this pledge with my fellow veterans to the republic for which it stands, not to a king. Not to billionaires for their tax breaks and not to Russian dictators. As a PA state representative, I swear and pledge the same,” Pielli said.
According to Erica Deuso, a candidate for Mayor of Downingtown, who also sent information and images to The Times about the protest, noted that while veterans were the focus, there was broad opposition to President Donald Trump and Elon Musk.
“Attendees carried signs not only advocating for veterans but also showing support for Ukraine, opposing Donald Trump, and expressing frustration with Elon Musk, whose influence over public discourse and international affairs continues to spark controversy,” she said in her submission to The Times. “The mix of messaging underscored the intersection of democracy, global stability, and the well-being of those who serve.”
