This is a breaking story and further details will be provided as they become available.
President Donald Trump tweeted Wednesday that he is replacing VA Secretary Shulkin with Admiral Ronny Jackson, M.D., who is currently the White House doctor.
I am pleased to announce that I intend to nominate highly respected Admiral Ronny L. Jackson, MD, as the new Secretary of Veterans Affairs….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 28, 2018
Trump then tweeted: “…. In the interim, Hon. Robert Wilkie of DOD [Department of Defense] will serve as Acting Secretary. I am thankful for Dr. David Shulkin’s service to our country and to our GREAT VETERANS!”
….In the interim, Hon. Robert Wilkie of DOD will serve as Acting Secretary. I am thankful for Dr. David Shulkin’s service to our country and to our GREAT VETERANS!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 28, 2018
It is unclear how or if Shulkin was notified.
Shulkin was the ninth United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs. He was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate after being nominated by President Trump and after having served as the Undersecretary of Veterans Affairs for Health from 2015 until 2017, during the Obama Administration.
It has been rumored for weeks that Secretary Shulkin was on thin ice over using taxpayer dollars partially to fund a vacation to Europe for his wife, slow progress and intense VA infighting.
It was also rumored that Trump was considering current Energy Secretary and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, and also Fox News host and former CEO of Concerned Veterans for America Pete Hegseth, as VA Secretary.
The VA has been under constant and widespread criticism over the past decade for having close to a $200 billion annual budget but failing to do things such as modernize its technology and workflow, address modern veteran needs and stop widespread veteran suicide.
