“We Fought for This Country, We’ll Fight Again”: Veterans Protest DOGE
More than 1,500 demonstrators gathered in Westwood on Saturday to protest sweeping federal government cuts, including drastic reductions in staff at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and other agencies. The rally, which took place outside the federal building on Wilshire Boulevard, was part of a broader pushback against policies that critics say are undermining essential services and violating constitutional rights.
Indivisible and Democracy Action Network organized the protest.
Among the protesters was Jesse Ugalde, a 74-year-old Vietnam War veteran who relies on the VA for his healthcare. Ugalde said he has already noticed a difference in services at the VA due to staff departures.
“Already, people are leaving,” Ugalde said. “I was told that they’re going to try to provide services, but it’s going to take longer.” He joined the demonstration to oppose President Donald Trump’s push to reduce the size of the federal government, which has led to mass layoffs across multiple agencies.
“It’s not only the VA—there are other programs that we need desperately,” Ugalde said. “There’s no reason to do it this way. I fought for this country, and I’ll fight for it again.”
Protesters voiced outrage over the administration’s rapid restructuring of federal agencies, spearheaded by billionaire Elon Musk, who has been serving as an informal advisor on government efficiency. Musk’s advisory team, dubbed the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has overseen the termination of thousands of government employees, the freezing of billions in federal spending, and the near-total shutdown of agencies such as the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Department of Education.
“We are here because we are not going to let Trump, we’re not going to let Elon Musk, his co-president, or anybody else take the United States Constitution down,” Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) told the crowd.
Many attendees carried signs calling for the protection of public services, veterans’ benefits, and civil liberties. The rally also raised concerns over immigration policies.
Demonstrators also spoke out against the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, an Algerian citizen and former graduate student at Columbia University. Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist and green card holder with no criminal record, is currently being held in immigration detention, a move that activists described as unjust and politically motivated.
The protest brought together local activists, leaders, and politicians, those politicians and leaders and included:
- U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles)
- U.S. Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Los Angeles)
- U.S. Rep. Laura Friedman (D-Glendale)
- California State Sen. Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica)
- West Hollywood Mayor Chelsea Byers
- Aliyah Levin, President, American Federation of Government Employees, Local 2391
