The treatment of our active service members and veterans under the current administration has been unacceptable. The firing of thousands of veterans under the guise of 'waste, fraud, and abuse,' along with efforts to cut the deficit, is not only shortsighted but also a betrayal of those who served to defend our Constitution and democracy. Additionally, cuts to the Veterans Administration, resulting in the loss of tens of thousands of jobs, will severely impact the care our veterans rely on, increasing wait times and decreasing service quality. Our veterans deserve better.

Our active-duty service members also deserve better. The current administration’s reckless rhetoric—such as talks of annexing Canada and Greenland, and referring to Gaza with hostility—has alienated our allies and placed a target on America’s back. If these actions come to fruition, it will not be those who speak such words who pay the price, but the brave men and women of our armed forces. While the current administration plays the strongman, it will be the lives of those in uniform that are on the line.