CEDAR RAPIDS - As Biden Administration appointee Pete Buttigieg comes to Cedar Rapids to criticize President Trump’s record on veterans' issues, local Iowa veterans and Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Jeff Kaufmann are setting the record straight: President Trump has honored his promises to America’s veterans, while Democrats play politics with their care.

"President Trump made veterans a top priority, delivering real results-not empty rhetoric,” said Jeff Kaufmann, Chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa. “Whether it was improving health care access, cutting waste, or ending DEI nonsense at the VA, he focused on honoring those who served.”

Already in the first 100 days under President Trump:

• Proposed an over $5 billion budget increase to the VA, prioritizing health care and eliminating waste.
• Six new health care clinics were opened.
• Veterans were given real choice under the MISSION Act.
• Radical ideologies were phased out, and resources were redirected to care for paralyzed veterans and amputees.
• Disability claims were processed at record rates.
• The VA’s electronic health record system rollout was accelerated.
• $14 million in wasteful DEI spending was eliminated, with savings redirected to direct services.

US Air Force and Gulf War veteran Ron Slagle of Linn County added, “As an Air Force veteran, I am proud of the work being done by the Trump Administration. President Trump didn’t just talk about making things better for veterans-he delivered. The VA improved under his leadership and more money is going directly to services.”

In contrast, the Biden Administration is under investigation by House Republicans for manufacturing a fake budget crisis at the VA just before the 2024 election-requesting $3 billion in emergency funding only to later reveal a $5.1 billion surplus.

“The Biden administration was full of empty promises and even tried to exploit veterans for political gain. We deserve better,” said Linn County US Air Force veteran Wayne Kreutner. “Mayor Buttigieg and Democrats want to rewrite history, but veterans across Iowa know the truth: President Trump put them first. Joe Biden and the Democrats put politics first.”