AUGUSTA, Maine — The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs confirmed Tuesday it fired several VA Togus Medical Center employees this month, as President Donald Trump’s rapid cost-cutting efforts continue to affect federal workers in Maine.
A VA spokesperson said a “small number” of probationary staff were dismissed this month and that the federal department “cannot discuss specific personnel matters due to privacy concerns.” But the Maine AFL-CIO said an unspecified number of probationary employees at the Togus campus outside of Augusta received termination emails Monday night.
The Trump administration told the Togus workers they were losing their jobs due to “poor performance,” per the Maine AFL-CIO, using language similar to other messages that have gone to since-fired workers throughout the government, including National Park Service staff at Acadia National Park.
“This decision will have no negative effect on Veteran health care, benefits or other services and will allow VA to focus more effectively on its core mission of serving Veterans, families, caregivers and survivors,” a VA spokesperson said via email.
Trump and his “government efficiency” czar Elon Musk have continued their efforts to slash the size of the federal government and its roughly 2.3 million employees. The Republican administration has fired more than 10,000 workers across multiple agencies, with a federal judge rejecting last week a challenge from labor unions over the mass firings.
Maine AFL-CIO Executive Director Matt Schlobohm said in a statement Tuesday the probationary employees who are often in their first year in a new position include military veterans who were “arbitrarily fired as part of a widespread purge of federal workers being carried out by Elon Musk and the Trump administration.”
“The impacted VA employees whom we’ve spoken to have served our country honorably and took great pride in their work supporting other veterans,” Schlobohm said. “These firings will hurt Maine veterans and undermine the services they rely on.”
