The Division of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins accused a reporter of spreading “rumors” and “innuendo” concerning the Division of Authorities Effectivity’s (DOGE) actions on the company in an interview that went viral on social media.
In a clip posted to his X account on Tuesday, Collins confronted Navy.com reporter Patricia Kime about her February 5 article entitled, “Elon Musk Aide Is Now Working at VA and Accessing Its Pc Techniques.”
Collins pulled out a printed copy of the report and accused Kime of making an attempt to “scare” veterans by citing unconfirmed rumors about DOGE’s actions on the division.
“All I appear to be doing recently is combating again in opposition to innuendo and rumor tales… In actual fact, Patricia, a part of it’s with you,” he mentioned, handing the paper to Kime.
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Regardless of firing no less than 2,400 staff, Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins maintains the VA’s dedication to preserving and enhancing well being care advantages for veterans. (Getty)
“I simply want your assist as a result of whenever you begin headlines with ‘There’s a rumor going round’ and that ‘we’ve heard that,’ that hurts my veterans, that scares my veterans. That scares my staff. As a result of it is not true,” Collins mentioned.
“Will you decide to not doing that sooner or later?” he pressed the reporter.
Collins went on to inform Kime she ought to have requested a DOGE liaison about these rumors, to which she mentioned she did.
The Navy.com report cited “rumors” about DOGE staff visiting the VA that week “with an intent to mine information on incapacity compensation and advantages.”
The report quoted a VA spokesperson confirming a single DOGE worker can be tasked with figuring out waste and enhancing effectivity however denied this particular person would have entry to veterans’ or beneficiaries’ information.
Elon Musk, the chair of DOGE, has dedicated to slash waste within the federal authorities. (Getty Photos)
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Collins criticized Kime for citing unsubstantiated claims from the beginning, telling her these claims about DOGE had been both “true or false.”
He proceeded to scold the reporter for citing a press launch from Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., by which the senator claimed DOGE “could have barged into the VA” that day.
That is “unconfirmed rumour,” Collins mentioned, and informed Kime she ought to have referred to as it an “unconfirmed report.”
“So, Patricia, I wish to work along with you, however I want you to decide to me that you simply’re not gonna do that,” he mentioned.
“That is honest. I am engaged on it,” Kime responded earlier than making an attempt to ask Collins a follow-up query, however he continued to press her to reply his query.
“No, I wish to hear the reply first. Are you committing to not do rumors? Since you’re scaring my VA staff about this and also you’re scaring my veterans,” he mentioned.
A army veteran salutes throughout a ceremony on the 9/11 Memorial, on Sept. 10, 2023, at Heckscher Park, in Huntington, New York. (James Carbone/Newsday RM by way of Getty Photos)
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Kime pushed again on Collins’ characterization of her report, saying, “I take challenge with parsing out my stuff, however that’s nice.”
Collins continued to argue with Kime about her headline and the small print in her reporting earlier than saying, “I wish to work with you numerous as we go ahead. We’re going to have lots of time collectively. However I’m not gonna have any reporter scaring my staff and scaring the veterans. And that’s what that is doing. Let’s get it proper.”
“I’m essentially the most clear VA secretary we’ve had but. I’m on video, I’m on interviews, I do all the things I presumably can to push again in opposition to all the things I’m listening to. So, we acquired a crew that may assist you, however I want your dedication to assist me, too,” he added.
The clip of the interview had racked up over 1 million views on Collins’ X account in lower than 24 hours.
Doug Collins is sworn in throughout his Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee affirmation listening to within the Dirksen Senate Workplace Constructing on January 21, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Samuel Corum/Getty Photos)
Zachary Fryer-Biggs, managing editor for Navy.com, defended Kime in a fiery response posted to X and shared with Fox Information Digital.
“Mr. Secretary – You willfully misrepresented what was in that story, one the place your individual press workplace confirmed the small print, and was quoted. Patricia just isn’t going to be distracted by this nonsense, she’s going to proceed doing the necessary reporting she’s finished for years,” Fryer-Biggs wrote on X.
When reached for remark, an official for the VA informed Fox Information Digital, “With out even citing a supply, Patricia Kime reported on ‘rumors’ that DOGE representatives would entry VA incapacity compensation and advantages info.”
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Collins has defended DOGE cuts on the VA as a part of the brand new administration’s efforts to reform the division and higher serve veterans.
In a press launch final month, the VA introduced that the dismissal of greater than 1,000 staff would allow the division to redirect over $98 million per yr in sources again to well being care, advantages and providers for VA beneficiaries.
