President Trump redirects funds from illegal alien programs to establish the National Center for Warrior Independence, aiming to house up to 6,000 homeless veterans in Los Angeles by 2028.
Key Takeaways
- President Trump signed an Executive Order on May 9, 2025, establishing the National Center for Warrior Independence at the West Los Angeles VA Campus to combat veteran homelessness.
- Funds previously allocated for illegal alien housing and services will be redirected to support this veteran-focused initiative.
- The Center will provide housing, substance abuse treatment, and employment support for up to 6,000 homeless veterans by 2028.
- Los Angeles currently has approximately 3,000 homeless veterans who will benefit from this comprehensive support system.
- The initiative aims to restore accountability within the VA system and reclaim the West LA campus for its intended purpose of serving veterans.
America First: Veterans Before Illegal Immigrants
President Donald Trump has taken decisive action to prioritize America’s heroes by signing an executive order on May 9, 2025, that establishes the National Center for Warrior Independence. Located at the Veterans Affairs West Los Angeles Campus, this groundbreaking initiative aims to address the crisis of veteran homelessness in Los Angeles and eventually nationwide. The order specifically redirects funds previously used for housing and services for illegal aliens toward creating this comprehensive veterans support center, demonstrating a clear shift in national priorities under the Trump administration.
The directive comes as Los Angeles continues to struggle with approximately 3,000 homeless veterans, part of a nationwide problem that saw nearly 33,000 homeless veterans in early 2024. While this represents a 55.6% decrease since 2010, the administration views any veteran without housing as unacceptable. The West LA facility has been at the center of controversy for years, with valuable land being leased to private entities rather than serving veterans as originally intended when the land was donated.
BREAKING: President Trump to build a national center for homeless veterans using funds that were previously spent on illegal immigrants.
The executive order is another fulfilled promise of the president.
"The new National Center for Warrior Independence will help them and other… pic.twitter.com/SiamfkIvNt
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) May 9, 2025
Reclaiming Veterans’ Land for Veterans’ Use
The 388-acre West Los Angeles VA Medical Center campus has faced decades of mismanagement, with portions being leased to private entities including an exclusive private school and UCLA’s baseball team. These arrangements diverted the property from its intended purpose of serving veterans. The Trump administration’s executive order aims to correct this misuse and transform the campus into a national beacon for homeless veterans seeking housing, healthcare, and rehabilitation services.
“After decades of mismanagement, VA has been leasing parts of its 388-acre West Los Angeles VA Medical Center campus to a wealthy and exclusive private school and the University of California, Los Angeles, baseball team. Today’s executive order will enable us to ensure VA’s West Los Angeles Campus is being used as intended: to benefit Veterans. Our goal is to turn the campus into a beacon of hope and a destination for homeless Veterans from across the nation who can travel there to find housing and support and start their journey back to self-sufficiency,” stated VA
The VA is currently involved in a legal battle regarding the use of the campus, having appealed a 2024 court ruling that ordered the construction of nearly 2,000 permanent housing units for disabled and homeless veterans. President Trump’s executive order appears to align with and potentially strengthen this court-ordered initiative, showing a commitment to following through on promises to veterans rather than continuing years of bureaucratic delays.
🚨 VICTORY FOR VETERANS! 🇺🇸
President Trump just signed an EXECUTIVE ORDER to transform the West L.A. VA into a National Warrior Independence Center, housing 6,000 homeless veterans! 🏠
This is a historic win, but it’s personal for me. Since 2020, I’ve been sounding the…
— James Bradley (@JamesBradleyCA) May 10, 2025
Comprehensive Support for America’s Heroes
The National Center for Warrior Independence is designed to be far more than just housing. It will provide comprehensive services including substance abuse treatment, mental health care, job training, and support for productive work. The initiative aims to restore the “warrior mindset” and self-sufficiency among veterans who have fallen on hard times. Additionally, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development has been directed to utilize housing vouchers specifically to support homeless veterans.
“The VA campus in West Los Angeles will become the National Center for Warrior Independence with facilities and resources to help our veterans earn back their self-sufficiency,” said President Trump
Beyond the Los Angeles initiative, the executive order addresses broader veterans’ issues, including restoring accountability within the VA system. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs has been instructed to review misconduct and previous rehiring decisions, aiming to eliminate corruption and inefficiency within the department. The order also seeks to increase care options, reduce wait times, and expand services for all veterans, including a feasibility study for improvements at the Manchester VA Medical Center.
Building on Trump’s Pro-Veteran Legacy
This executive order builds upon President Trump’s previous achievements for veterans during his first term, which included signing the Forever GI Bill and eliminating federal student loan debt for permanently disabled veterans. The administration has consistently emphasized that veterans deserve the nation’s gratitude and that the federal government should treat them with the respect and care befitting heroes who served their country.
“TREATING VETERANS LIKE THE HEROES THEY ARE: President Trump strongly believes that every veteran deserves our gratitude, and that the federal government should treat veterans like the heroes they are,” stated The White House
The VA has been given 120 days to present a detailed action plan to the White House, ensuring that this initiative moves forward promptly rather than becoming mired in bureaucratic delays. With the goal of housing up to 6,000 homeless veterans by 2028, the National Center for Warrior Independence represents one of the most ambitious efforts to address veteran homelessness in recent history, and a clear demonstration of the administration’s commitment to putting American veterans before illegal immigrants.
