The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins accused a reporter of distributing “rumors” and “insinuation” about the actions of the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) at an interview that Viral went on social media.
In a clip on his X account on Tuesday, Collins Military.com reporter Patricia Kime confronted her February 5, article entitled: “Elon Musk Aide now works at VA and access to his computer systems.”
Collins took out a printed copy of the report and accused Kime of trying to “frighten” veterans by quoting unconfirmed rumors about the actions of Doge in the department.
“The only thing I seemed to do lately fights back against Innuendo and rumor stories … In fact, Patricia, is part of you,” he said, giving the newspaper to Kime.
Senate confirms Doug Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs
Despite the firing of at least 2,400 employees, Veteran Affairs Doug Collins maintains the dedication of the VA to maintain and improve the benefits for health care for veterans. (Getty)
“I just need your help, because if you start the headlines with ‘there is a rumor around’ and that ‘we have heard that’, that hurts My veteransThat scares my veterans. That scares my employees. Because it’s not true, “Collins said.
“Do you not want to do yourself in the future?” He pressed the reporter.
Collins continued to tell Kime that she should have asked a doge contact person about these rumors, to which she said she did that.
The Military.com report Cited “rumors” about doge employees who visit the VA that week “with an intention of reclaiming data on compensation and benefits of disabilities.”
The report quoted that a VA spokesperson who confirms a single doge employee is instructed to identify waste and improve efficiency, but denied that this person would have access to data from veterans or beneficiaries.
Elon Musk, the chairman of Doge, has committed himself to lower waste in the federal government. (Getty Images)
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Collins criticized Kime for quoting non -supported claims from the beginning, and told her that these claims were ‘true or false’.
He continued to scold the reporter to quote a press release from Senator Patty Murray, D-Wash., In which the senator claimed that Doge might have been put into the VA that day “.
That is “unconfirmed hearing,” Collins said, and told Kime that she should have called it an “unconfirmed report”.
“So, Patricia, I want to work together with you, but I want you to break me that you are not going to do this,” he said.
“That is honest. I work on it,” Kime replied before he tried to ask Collins a follow -up question, but he insisted on answering his question.
“No, I want to hear the answer first. Do you not mean rumors? Because you scare my VA employees about this and you scare my veterans,” he said.
A military veteran greets during a ceremony on the 9/11 Memorial, on 10 September 2023 in Heckscher Park, in Huntington, New York. (James Carbone/NewSday RM via Getty images)
Kime pushed back on the characterization of Collins of her report and said: “I have problems dissecting my things, but that’s fine.”
Collins continued to argue with Kime over her head and the details in her report before she said: “I want to work with you a lot when we continue. We will have a lot of time together. But I am not going to afraid of my employees and frighten the veterans. And that is what this does. Let’s do it well.”
“I am the most transparent VA secretary we have had so far. I am on video, I am on interviews, I do everything to push back against everything I hear. So we have a team that will help you, but I need your dedication to help me too,” he added.
The clip of the interview had collected more than 1 million views on the X account of Collins in less than 24 hours.
Doug Collins is sworn in during the confirmation of his Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee confirmation hearing in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on January 21, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Samuel Core / Getty images)
Zachary Fryer-Biggs, editor-in-chief for Military.com, defended Kime in a fiery reaction placed on X and shared with Fox News Digital.
“Mr. The Secretary-U deliberately displayed what was in that story, a where your own press office confirmed and was quoted. Patricia will not be distracted by this nonsense, she will continue to do the important report she has made for years,” wrote Fryer-Biggs on X.
When he was reached for comment, an official told the VA Fox News Digital“Without even quoting a source, Patricia Kime reported on ‘rumors’ that DOGE -representatives would have access to VA -Invalidity Compensation and benefits information.”
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Collins has defended DOGE cuts at the VA as part of the new government’s efforts to reform the department and to serve veterans.
In one press release Last month, the VA announced that the dismissal of more than 1,000 employees would enable the department to restore more than $ 98 million a year to health care, benefits and services for beneficiaries.
