Veterans are preparing a march in Washington, D.C. to protect the Constitution and the oath they took to it.
The demonstration, scheduled for March 14, has been announced on social media through numerous 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 changes to veterans’ healthcare services.
One of the protest’s promotional posters quotes General Mark Milley, who stated, “We don’t 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 someone 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 consider as unconstitutional activities by the Trump administration.
Why It Matters
Many veterans have been laid off from government posts as a result of cuts enforced by Elon Musk’s Department for Government Efficiency (DOGE), despite the fact that veterans account for approximately 30% of the federal workforce.
These cutbacks 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 showed intentions to slash up to 83,000 personnel at the agency this year.
VA therapists are straining to serve patients while worried for their own job security. VA patients are reportedly not receiving clinical trial treatments for cancer. The VA has canceled suicide prevention training owing 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 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 Constitution of the United States, shall have can However, by a vote of two-thirds of each House, Congress can remove such disability.”
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.”
Now March is an offshoot of the original organization Now14, which has stated that, despite the verdict in Trump v. Anderson—which found 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 Now March, Trump continues to undermine democracy through executive orders that have been ruled unlawful by many courts, such as his attempts to end birthright citizenship and restrict financing approved by Congress for various organizations, including those that employ veterans.
Politicians have raised concern over the Trump administration’s treatment of veterans and the implications of DOGE layoffs.
Senator Tammy Duckworth, who lost both of her legs while fighting in Iraq, has sponsored 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 sponsored 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 altered their minds since the election. If you do not want to lose your rights, safety, freedom, or nation, 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 conceive 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 immensely about veterans…. We will take good care of them, although they may not be physically fit or eager to work right now. And we can’t, you know, I wouldn’t take money from you, pay someone, and then say, ‘Sorry, they’re not coming to work.’ It’s simply not acceptable.
What Happens Next
The march will take place this weekend, and more events are scheduled in state capitals across the country.