Organizers hope that more than 20,000 people will converge on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on Friday, June 6, to protest the Trump administration's cuts in staffing and programs at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Unite for Veterans, a coalition of veterans and their advocates, is organizing the event. During a press conference, organizers said the protest is a direct response to recent federal layoffs and firings, budget cuts, and what they say are Department of Government Efficiency-related efforts to dismantle VA.
“Show us the math,” said retired Marine Lt. Col. and Unite for Veterans spokesman Joe Plenzer. “We want them to prove to us that 80,000 walking out of VA won’t impact our programs and benefits. This is why a lot of veterans are getting hot under the collar about this.”
Organizers also described the proposed cuts at VA as an attack on the benefits that veterans have earned.
“Unite for Veterans is about trying to provide feedback and encourage the administration to make the right decisions for veterans,” said Army National Guard veteran Chris Purdy, one of the protest’s organizers.
A 54-second video released by Unite for Veterans on Friday underscored the significance of the protest’s date.
“Eighty-one years ago, Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy to begin he long march to Berlin and to end tyranny’s march across the globe. Democracy is once again under threat and again its defense falls to those who swore an oath. On June 6, 2025, veterans will march on Washington, D.C., to hold accountable those whose word has failed us.”
The rally is expected to feature numerous speakers who are veterans, including Army veteran and executive director of the Union Veterans Council Will Attig; Army veteran and Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.); Navy veteran and founder of Afghan Evac Shawn Vaddiver; and Air Force veteran and former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.).
Dropkick Murphys, a punk rock band from Boston, is also expected to perform.
“It will be a privilege to stand shoulder to shoulder with veterans on the anniversary of D-Day,” said the bank’s front man, Ken Casey.
Staff who were impacted by a round of layoffs earlier this year at VA are also expected to share their stories at the protest, which is expected to take place from 2 to 5 p.m. on the National Mall, north of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, where 6th Street crosses the Mall.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.