Executive Order 13793: Improving Accountability and Whistleblower Protection at the Department of Veterans Affairs
President: Donald J. Trump
Directed VA to create an accountability and whistleblower-protection office; later legislation established a statutory framework.
Status: In effect. Is Executive Order 13793 still in effect? Yes. Executive Order 13793 remains in effect. See Federal Register record.
What does Executive Order 13793 do?
EO 13793 directed the VA Secretary to establish an Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection within 45 days and appoint a special assistant reporting directly to the Secretary. The office was to coordinate accountability, complaints and protection of lawful whistleblowing within existing authority. Congress later enacted the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017, creating statutory responsibilities for the office. The office continues to have an official VA presence; that does not establish the success of each accountability measure.
Before and after
Before the order
VA disciplinary and whistleblower procedures existed under prior law.
After the order
VA established the office and Congress supplied further statutory authority in 2017.
Who had to do what
| Agency / office | Action | Timing / position |
|---|---|---|
| VA Secretary | Create an office and appoint its director | Within 45 days |
| Office | Coordinate complaints, accountability and whistleblower protection | Within legal authority |
| Congress | Define further authority by statute | Enacted 2017 |
What happened next
EO 13793 signed.
Legal and source detail
How it works legally
The order did not create new disciplinary offenses or replace employee due process. The subsequent statute must be read separately.
Sources by type
If a source is unavailable, first check the cited publisher or another official repository. The cited publisher remains the authority.
Primary and official sources
Orders, laws, court records and official implementation material.
- GovInfo — VA Accountability Act (opens in a new tab) Official record
How we checked this
Last checked against the sources above on September 23, 2026. How we research →