Attorney General Bonta Demands Answers on Veterans and Spouses Fired by Trump Administration

OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta, along with a coalition of state attorneys general, sent Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) demanding information on how many veterans and their spouses have been fired as part of the Trump Administration’s mass terminations of federal employees. The federal government is the largest employer of veterans nationwide, with service members comprising approximately 30% of the federal workforce.

“We won’t let the President’s ruthless decision to fire employees, including many U.S. veterans and their spouses, go unchecked,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Not only is this decision shortsighted, but it has caused turmoil across states nationwide by disrupting critical services and impacting the households of U.S. veterans and their families. Our veterans have risked their lives for our safety and freedom, and they deserve better. That’s why, I, alongside attorneys general nationwide, are demanding answers from the Trump Administration on this decision.” 

The FOIA requests seek documents and data identifying how many veterans and their spouses have been terminated since January 20, 2025, as part of the administration’s sweeping workforce cuts. Specifically, the attorneys general are requesting:

• The number of terminated federal employees entitled to veterans’ preference in employment.
• Data on terminations of federal employees who are veterans or spouses of veterans.
• Any correspondence related to the impact of these terminations, particularly in relation to the implementation of Executive Orders 14210 and 14217, which direct large-scale workforce reductions. 

Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of Arizona, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, and Washington in submitting these requests.

Copies of the requests are available here and here.