'This Guy's Not A DEI Or Climate Consultant'—FOX's Jesse Watters Pleads With Trump To Save His Friend Who Got 'DOGE'd' From The Pentagon

Fox News host Jesse Watters recently made an emotional plea on "The Five," urging the Trump administration to be "less callous" when implementing federal layoffs after his military veteran friend was let go due to Elon Musk's Pentagon cuts.

A Veteran Loses His Job

During a recent broadcast, Watters shared the story of his friend Chris, a 20-year U.S. military veteran who recently took a job at the Pentagon. Chris was still in his probationary period when he found out he was being let go as part of the latest wave of workforce reductions.

Don't Miss:

• The average American couple has saved this much money for retirement — How do you compare?
• ‘Scrolling To UBI' — Deloitte's #1 fastest-growing software company allows users to earn money on their phones. You can invest today for just $0.26/share with a $1000 minimum.

"Let me tell you a story about Chris. Chris was a guy I met at a shooting event in New Jersey," Watters began. "A 20-year veteran of the U.S. military, one of the guys who has killed a lot of bad guys. Put his life on the line. He punched out after 20 years of working for the Pentagon. And he's only been there a few months, so his probationary period—he just found out he's probably going to get laid off. He's going to get DOGE'd."

Watters was referring to the White House's Department of Government Efficiency, which has spearheading spending cuts and layoffs at various federal agencies. 

Watters described how his friend reached out to him, upset over the situation. "He texted me and said: ‘Jesse, this is not good. I'm really sad. I'm upset.'"

Trending: If there was a new fund backed by Jeff Bezos offering a 7-9% target yield with monthly dividends would you invest in it?

Prioritizing Veterans Over Bureaucrats

The Fox News host criticized the administration for making cuts that, in his view, disproportionately impact veterans while keeping diversity, equity, and inclusion and climate consultants on the payroll.

"This guy is not a DEI consultant. He is not a climate consultant. This guy is a veteran," Watters argued. "So when you're talking about DOGE-ing people, veterans should get priority. Because if you're going to go out there and kill enemies, put your life on the line, you should not be in the same category as people that are doing DEI."

Panelist Harold Ford Jr. tried to push back, jokingly asking if Chris had even been in the interview. Watters didn't back down, insisting that the way layoffs are being handled needs to change.

See Also: Many are using retirement income calculators to check if they’re on pace — here’s a breakdown on what’s behind this formula.

Calling For Smarter Budget Cuts

Watters shifted the conversation toward the Pentagon's budget priorities, suggesting that instead of cutting veterans' jobs, the government should focus on eliminating wasteful spending in military programs that aren't producing results.

"The Pentagon, you have a weapons program in some influential congressman's district, it is showing no promise in the theater of war. You cut that! And that's big savings!" he argued. "So, besides saving my friend, Chris, we want bigger dividend DOGE check rebates. I don't want to pay down the debt, put it back into the economy."

Despite pushback from Ford, Watters stood by his argument, stating that seeing someone he knew personally lose their job made the issue hit home for him.

"I finally found one person I knew who got DOGE'd, and it hit me in the heart."

Watters' plea reflects growing concerns about how federal workforce reductions are being carried out, with veterans and national security personnel now finding themselves among those impacted by the cuts.

Read Next:

• Deloitte's fastest-growing software company partners with Amazon, Walmart & Target – Many are rushing to grab 4,000 of its pre-IPO shares for just $0.26/share!
• These five entrepreneurs are worth $223 billion – they all believe in one platform that offers a 7-9% target yield with monthly dividends