Veterans are planning a march in Washington, D.C. to defend the Constitution and the oath they took to it.
The protest, scheduled for March 14, has been publicized on social media through various posters and the website NowMarch.
Veterans who attend the march plan to peacefully protest the Trump administration’s proposed cuts to Social Security, federal job losses for veterans, the pardon of January 6 rioters, and cuts to veterans’ healthcare services.
One of the protest’s promotional posters quotes General Mark Milley, who stated, “We do not take an oath to a king.” Last month, the White House shared an edited photo of President Donald Trump wearing a crown, captioned “Long Live the King.”
When people join the military or take an oath of office as a politician, they promise to defend the United States Constitution against “all enemies, foreign and domestic.” Participants in this march believe it is their responsibility to speak out against what they see as unconstitutional actions by the Trump administration.
Why It Matters
Many veterans have been laid off from government positions as a result of cuts implemented by Elon Musk’s Department for Government Efficiency (DOGE), despite the fact that veterans account for nearly 30% of the federal workforce.
These layoffs have also had an impact on veterans’ healthcare, which is overseen by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). A leaked memo from the Trump administration revealed plans to cut up to 83,000 jobs at the department this year.
VA therapists are struggling to treat patients while fearing for their job security, VA patients are reportedly not receiving clinical trial cancer treatments, and suicide prevention training has been canceled due to recent budget cuts.
What To Know
The march was intentionally scheduled for March 14, as Section 3 of the 14th Amendment addresses insurrectionists.
The 14th Amendment states: “No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any state, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any state legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any state, to support the United States Constitution, shall have en However, Congress may remove such disability by a two-thirds vote of each House.” The march’s organizers have stated: “The United States is under siege from within—hijacked by an illegitimate president and administration and protected by a system unwilling to uphold our constitutional safeguards.”
NowMarch is a branch of the original movement Now14, which has asserted that, despite the ruling in Trump v. Anderson—which determined Trump had to appear on the Colorado ballot despite his role in the January 6 insurrection—”Donald Trump remains constitutionally disqualified from holding office.”
According to NowMarch, Trump continues to undermine democracy through executive orders that have been ruled unconstitutional by several courts, such as his attempts to end birthright citizenship and block funding appropriated by Congress for various agencies, including those that employ veterans.
Politicians have expressed concern about the Trump administration’s treatment of veterans and the effects of DOGE layoffs.
Senator Tammy Duckworth, who lost both of her legs while serving in Iraq, has introduced the Protect Veterans Jobs Act with Senators Andy Kim, Mark Kelly, and Ruben Gallego.
The bill is designed “to make veteran federal employees who were involuntarily dismissed without cause eligible for reinstatement, to require reports from executive agencies on the number of veteran employees fired from such agencies, and for other purposes.”
Senator Duckworth wrote on X, “The message of our bill is simple: give our heroes their jobs back.”
California Representative Derek Tran has introduced a similar bill in the House.
What People Are Saying
NowMarch: “This movement is for veterans. If you support Ukraine and the Free World, this movement is for you. If you are a federal employee, this movement is for you. This movement is for those who do not want to lose their Social Security benefits.
If you were denied your vote in 2024, this movement is for you. This movement is for those who have changed their minds since the election. If you do not want to lose your rights, safety, freedom, or country, this is the movement for you.”
Senator Mark Kelly stated on MSNBC: “I took an oath to our Constitution. I have kept that oath my entire life… The only oath I can think of that Elon might have sworn is to his own checking account.
Last week, Alina Habba, Donald Trump’s counselor, told the press, “Well, as you know, we care tremendously about veterans…. We will take good care of them, but they may not be physically fit or willing to work right now. And we can’t, you know, I would not take money from you, pay someone, and then say, ‘Sorry, they are not coming to work.’ It is simply not acceptable.
The march will take place this weekend, with additional demonstrations expected in state capitals across the country.
