Why Trump’s Attack on Veterans Weakens America

Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams

Crooked Media

Society & Culture

4.8 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 13 March 2025

⏱️ 60 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Our nation’s veterans are being disproportionately impacted by the Trump administration’s assault on government agencies, from cuts to the VA, to job and funding reductions across the board. Not only have Republicans turned their backs on those who have dedicated themselves to serving our country, they are also doing damage to a constituency that was already underserved. Stacey is joined by Jason Kander, an Afghanistan Veteran and former Secretary of State of Missouri to talk through the needs of veterans on everything from healthcare to housing. Then Stacey speaks to Laila Ireland, a transgender Army veteran and member of SPARTA Pride, about how Trump’s dehumanizing attacks on LGBTQIA+ service members degrade the effectiveness of our military and erode our core values. Learn & Do More: Check out or support organizations like Veterans Community Project, which builds tiny houses for veterans in need, and visit SPARTA pride which provides essential resources for transgender people who currently serve or have previously served in the military. If you’re a veteran or know a veteran who has recently been fired due to mass layoffs, check out The Public Service Alliance for support in fighting back or finding new employment. Keep up to date by reading trusted sources like the Associated Press, the New York Times, and visiting CNN’s handy resource to track cuts to the federal workforce.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Assembly required with Stacey Abrams is brought to you by Helix. With all of my travel, few things are better than returning to the comforts of home. And ever since I got my Helix mattress, the experience of coming back to my own bed has only gotten more luxurious. With Helix, I can sleep through the night, and I wake up more refreshed and ready to go. Designed with the sleeper in mind, Helix offers quality rest and makes it easier for me to try and make my bedtime.
0:27.7	There's enough in the news to keep us up at night.
0:30.2	Do yourself a favor and get a mattress that doesn't make falling asleep even harder.
0:34.9	Check out Helix for a better sleeping experience and use a special code for the listeners
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1:04.0	Welcome to Assembly required. I'm your host, Stacey Abrams.
1:08.9	My grandfather served in World War II and in the Korean War. After each deployment,
1:15.2	though, he returned to a nation that denied him the full measure of citizenship due to segregation.
1:22.5	Over time, however, our country has made good on many of its promises to those who serve in our armed forces.
1:30.0	Often, though, enforcing those commitments has required civic action, federal legislation, and public
1:36.4	protest. We are quickly approaching one of those moments again, which is why on today's show,
1:43.9	I want to talk about veterans, the millions of
1:47.6	brave individuals who choose to serve and protect our country and to whom we owe a full measure
1:54.0	of gratitude and protection after their tours are done. America's veterans are commanding a great deal of attention recently, and rightly so, because
2:05.5	they are being disproportionately impacted by the Trump administration's reckless attack on the
2:12.1	federal government and by the silence of Republicans in office.
2:17.1	Last week, the Veterans Affairs Department announced that it would be cutting nearly 80,000 staff
2:23.4	workers as part of an agency-wide reorganization.
2:27.4	This news was preceded by the mass federal layoffs that Elon Musk and his team implemented,
2:32.7	that resulted in nearly 222,000 job cuts and counting.
2:37.9	And that's not to mention the veterans impacted by the executive orders eliminating DEI and the federal workforce.
	...

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