U.S. Army veteran Jay Carey made headlines after he was forced out of a town hall meeting in North Carolina for criticizing Republican Representative Chuck Edwards during a town hall meeting.
Carey, who previously ran for Edwards’ congressional seat but lost in the 2022 Democratic primary, shouted, “Do your job,” “You’re lying,” and “F**k you” at Edwards amid a crowd of constituents furious over the Edwards' support for federal spending cuts under President Donald Trump.
The most recent cuts have particularly impacted the Department of Veterans Affairs, courtesy of billionaire Elon Musk's advisory Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
At one point, Carey said:
"You're LYING. I'm a Veteran, you don't give a F**k about me. Shut the F**k up. You're taking away my Social Security. F**ck you. I will not sit down. I will stand the F**ck up."
Carey received applause as he was escorted out of the auditorium, and clips of his remarks quickly went viral, amassing tens of thousands of likes and views on social media.
You can watch what happened in the video below.
- YouTubewww.youtube.com
In an interview with the Asheville Watchdog after the fact, Carey said:
“I think it was necessary. I think it was the only way to really get his attention, and it was the energy that I want to see from everyone — to stand up and to speak back to the representatives that aren’t serving us, as is their duty.”
“He is hurting the people. He’s hurting the very people that voted for him, let alone the rest of us — he does not care. And you don’t get to stand up there and let it happen if you are an elected official, regardless of where you’re from.”
Of Edwards, he said:
“I do feel that the days of being cordial and respectful are over, because we’re not being respected. He’s disrespecting us by doing what he’s doing to our community as a whole.”
Many have supported Carey amid the controversy.
The Trump administration is pushing for an “aggressive reorganization” of the Department of Veterans Affairs, proposing to cut 80,000 jobs and scale back staffing levels to those of 2019. Since January, nearly 2,400 probationary workers have already been laid off.
The VA currently employs 480,000 people, with veterans making up about a quarter of its workforce. According to the department, the proposed cuts—impacting more than 15% of its workforce—would affect positions responsible for managing medical supplies, scheduling appointments, and coordinating transportation for patients.
House Republicans have also voted to cut $20 billion in federal funding from the Toxic Exposures Fund (TEF), which provides support for veterans exposed to burn pits.
VA Secretary Doug Collins dismissed concerns over the layoffs as "fake news," insisting that veterans will not be affected. He emphasized that the department’s mission is to serve veterans, not to provide jobs.
Collins also highlighted an ongoing review of 90,000 contracts worth $67 billion, stating that the VA has already saved nearly $900 million through the effort.
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