VA Secretary Calls Out Media Over Unverified ‘Rumor’ Stories

Collins Clashes with Military.com Reporter Over DOGE Rumors, Demands Accountability

Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins publicly confronted Military.com reporter Patricia Kime on Tuesday about publishing “innuendo and rumor stories” that he says are harming veterans and VA employees. The confrontation, which unfolded during an interview, centered on reports alleging unauthorized activities by a representative from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) at the VA—an issue Collins dismissed as unverified speculation that undermines trust in his agency.

Pulling No Punches

Collins pulled no punches as he addressed Kime directly, holding up a copy of her February article titled, “Elon Musk Aide Is Now Working at VA and Accessing Its Computer System.” The piece had suggested, based on unnamed sources and rumors, that a DOGE representative was accessing VA systems without proper authorization. “All I seem to be doing lately is fighting back against innuendo and rumor stories,” Collins said. “In fact, Patricia, part of it is with you. When you start headlines with ‘there’s a rumor going around,’ that hurts my veterans, that scares my veterans, that scares my employees because it’s not true.”

The VA Secretary went further, pressing Kime for accountability. “Will you commit to not doing that in the future?” he asked, emphasizing his desire for a cooperative relationship with the press—provided it doesn’t come at the expense of his staff or the veterans they serve. Conservative commentator Benny Johnson praised the exchange, posting on X: “VA Secretary Doug Collins DECIMATES a fake news reporter for spreading rumors and unconfirmed reports about the VA: ‘I want to work with you a lot in the future, but I will not have ANY reporters scaring my employees or veterans.’”

Widespread Support 

The incident has ignited widespread support online. The Media Research Center (@theMRC) chimed in: “VA Secretary Doug Collins calls out reporter to her face for publishing fake news about his department. ‘When you start headlines with there’s rumors going around… that hurts my veterans.’”

Collins clarified that the individual in question was not an outsider infiltrating VA systems but a designated VA employee serving as a liaison to DOGE—a fact he claims Kime knew but failed to emphasize. Kime, for her part, defended her reporting during the exchange, insisting she had sought answers from the VA and arguing that rumors differ from sourced information. Yet Collins remained steadfast, urging her to verify claims directly with his team to avoid sowing fear.