VA PURGE Hits DEI, Gender Ideology

Department of Veterans Affairs building sign with quote.

The Department of Veterans Affairs just ordered every facility in the country to scrap gender ideology and diversity, equity, and inclusion programs — and veterans who support Trump’s America-first agenda are cheering it on.

Story Highlights

A June 12 VA directive orders all facilities to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and gender-identity-based initiatives government-wide.
LGBTQ+ Veteran Care Coordinators must be renamed simply “Care Coordinators” under the new order.
The directive flows directly from President Trump’s January 2025 executive order targeting DEI programs across all federal agencies.
The VA memo states all veterans will still be served and that programs authorized by Congress remain in place.

VA Issues Sweeping Order to End DEI and Gender Ideology Programs

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) issued a sweeping internal directive on June 12, signed by Veterans Health Administration Under Secretary for Health John J. Bartrum. The memo orders every VA facility nationwide to eliminate all diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and gender-identity-based initiatives. Facilities have 14 days to certify compliance. The directive covers websites, training materials, communications, meetings, events, and all other agency resources.^[1]

The memo is direct about what must go. “VHA must eliminate all DEI/DEIA programs, gender-identity based and gender-ideology based initiatives, and any activities, internal or external, that promote gender identity or gender ideology,” the directive states. Federal funds, staff time, facilities, and promotional materials may no longer be used for any activity the administration defines as promoting gender ideology.^[1] The memo also confirms that all veterans will continue to receive care and that programs Congress explicitly authorized are not affected.

Trump’s Executive Order Drives the Change

The VA directive carries out President Trump’s January 20, 2025 executive order titled “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing.” That order directed every federal agency head to terminate, to the maximum extent allowed by law, all DEI and diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) offices, positions, programs, and related grants or contracts.^[6] The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) backed up the order by directing agencies to remove all DEI-related materials from public-facing websites and cancel all related training contracts.

Earlier this year, on March 17, the VA announced it would phase out gender-affirming care to comply with Trump’s separate executive order defining sex as a fixed biological classification. Veterans already receiving hormone therapy from the VA, or those transitioning out of military service with existing care, were granted exceptions.^[3] The June 12 memo builds on that earlier step, pushing DEI and gender ideology out of VA operations entirely.

Coordinators Renamed, Functions Still Unclear

One specific change in the directive renames LGBTQ+ Veteran Care Coordinators to simply “Care Coordinators.” These coordinators existed at VA facilities across the country to help veterans navigate care, handle complaints, and connect with services. The VA memo does not spell out whether the renamed coordinators will keep the same duties, training, or focus. That ambiguity leaves open whether the change is a simple rebrand or the first step toward winding down the role entirely.^[1]

Critics argue the coordinator network filled a real gap. A peer-reviewed study found that veterans who used these coordinators valued them as key resources and advocates for navigating the VA system.^[10] Supporters of the administration’s move counter that the core issue is not care access but whether federal resources should fund programs built around gender ideology and DEI frameworks. The VA’s position is that all veterans remain served under the new structure. What the renamed coordinator role looks like in practice will become clearer as facilities certify compliance over the coming weeks.