WASHINGTON – Today, Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) announced that Arizonan Kyle Rahn, a disabled veteran and federal worker who was recently fired due to Elon Musk’s DOGE cuts to the federal workforce, will accompany him to watch President Trump’s State of the Union address in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, March 4th.
Kyle Rahn, a North Phoenix resident, is a disabled Army veteran who served three tours in Iraq before continuing his public service as a civilian at the Department of Defense and later at the Department of Homeland Security as a national security professional. Despite 16 years of dedicated public service and his perfect record as an employee, he was fired two weeks ago via email.
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“When I served in Iraq, I fought to defend this country because I believe in what America stands for: freedom, opportunity, and the promise that hard work means something. I never thought that after years of service and sacrifice, I’d be cast aside and fired by email without warning or consideration,” said Rahn. “This isn’t just about me, it’s about every government worker who dedicated their lives to strengthening this nation. I am proud to stand side by side with Senator Gallego and show that veterans are taking the brunt of these decisions. This reckless action never should have happened, but this will not mark the end of my commitment to serving this country.”
“Kyle stepped up to serve his country both in combat and as a civilian, and this is how he was repaid. It’s a disgraceful betrayal of our country’s promise to take care of the brave men and women who serve us,” said Senator Gallego. “I invited Kyle to the State of the Union because I want Trump, Musk, and their DOGE minions to look him in the eyes and see the faces of the people their reckless chaos is hurting. They aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet they can’t understand, they’re the real people who truly make America great. I won’t stand by while veterans and hardworking public servants like Kyle are cast to the side. I’ll keep fighting to stop these thoughtless policies before they hurt even more people.”
Senator Gallego has been pushing back on the Trump Administration for firing veterans from the federal workforce, saying this is just to give tax breaks to his billionaire friends. During a Senate hearing, he pushed a Trump nominee about how federal layoffs have affected veterans. The Senator also criticized Trump and Musk for firing an Air Force vet and a Marine vet from the Phoenix VA—both had been there for nearly a year, managing 1,500 veteran caseloads, with solid performance reviews.