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The secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Doug Collins, accused a journalist of spreading “rumors” and “insinuations” about the actions of the Government Efficiency Department (Dux) in the agency in an interview that went viral. social networks.
In a clip published on its X account on Tuesday, Collins faced Military.com reporter Patricia Kime about her February 5 article entitled: “Elon Musk Aide is now working in VA and accessing her computer systems.”
Collins released a printed copy from the report and accused Kime of trying to “scare” the veterans citing unconfirmed rumors about Doge’s actions in the department.
“Everything that seems to be doing lately is fighting the insinuations and stories of rumors … In fact, Patricia, part of that is with you,” he said, delivering the newspaper to Kime.
The Senate confirms that Doug Collins directs the Department of Veterans Affairs
Despite saying at least 2,400 employees, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Doug Collins, maintains the commitment to preserve and improve the benefits of medical care for veterans. (Getty)
“I just need your help because when you start the headlines with ‘there is a rumor and that’ we have heard that ‘, that hurts My veteransthat scares my veterans. That scares my employees. Because it’s not true, “said Collins.
“Will you commit not to do that in the future?” He pressed the journalist.
Collins continued telling Kime that he should have asked a Dogle link about these rumors, to which he said it.
Military report.com He cited “rumors” about Doge employees who visit the Va that week “with the intention of extracting data on compensation and disability benefits.”
The report cited a spokesman to confirm that a single Doge employee would be responsible for identifying waste and improving efficiency, but denied that this individual has access to veteran or beneficiaries data.
Elon Musk, president of Doge, has pledged to reduce waste in the federal government. (Getty images)
Collins criticized Kime for citing claims without foundation from the beginning, telling him that these claims about Dense were “true or false.”
He proceeded to scold the journalist for citing a press release from Senator Patty Murray, D-Wash., In which the senator said Dogs “could have broken into the VA” that day.
That is “unconfirmed rumors,” Collins said, and told Kime that he should have called him an “un confirmed report.”
“So, Patricia, I want to work with you, but I need you to commit to me you are not going to do this,” he said.
“That is fair. I am working on it,” Kime replied before trying to ask Collins a tracking question, but continued to press it to answer his question.
“No, I want to listen to the answer first. Are you committing to not make rumors? Because you are scaring my employees about this and you are scaring my veterans,” he said.
A military veteran greets during a ceremony in the September 11 memorial, on September 10, 2023, in the Heckscher Park, in Huntington, New York. (James Carbone/Newsday RM through Getty Images)
Kime went back to the characterization of Collins from his report, saying: “I disagree to analyze my things, but that’s fine.”
Collins continued to argue with Kime about his headline and the details in his reports before saying: “I want to work a lot with you as we move forward. We will have a lot of time together. But I will not have any reporter scaring my employees and scare veterans. And that is what this is doing. We are going to do well.”
“I am the secretary of Va more transparent that we have had so far. I am on video, I am in interviews, I do everything I can to reject everything I hear. Then, we have a team that will help you, but I need your commitment to help me too,” he added.
The interview clip had accumulated more than 1 million visits in Collins X account in less than 24 hours.
Doug Collins swore during the Confirmation Hearing of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee in the Dirksen Senate Office building on January 21, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Samuel Core / Getty images)
Zachary Fryer-Biggs, Military Manager editor, defended Kime in a burning response published in X and shared with Fox News Digital.
“Mr. Secretary: intentionally misrepresented what was in that story, one in which her own press office confirmed the details and was summoned. Patricia will not be distracted by these nonsense, she will continue to make the important reports she has made for years,” Fryer-Biggs wrote in X.
When contacted to comment, an VA official said Fox News Digital“Without even mentioning a source, Patricia Kime reported on ‘rumors’ that Doge representatives would access the compensation information and disability benefits of VA.”
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Collins has defended Doge’s cuts in the VA as part of the new administration’s efforts to reform the department and better serve veterans.
In Press release Last month, the VA announced that the dismissal of more than 1,000 employees would allow the department to redirect more than $ 98 million per year in resources that return to medical care, benefits and services for VA beneficiaries.
