White House doctor Ronny Jackson withdraws from VA nomination
US - U.S. President Donald Trump’s physician Ronny Jackson withdrew yesterday from consideration to head the Department of Veterans Affairs after allegations about misconduct mounted and a Senate panel postponed his confirmation hearing. “While I will forever be grateful for the trust and confidence President Trump has placed in me by giving me this opportunity, I am regretfully withdrawing my nomination to be Secretary for the Department of Veterans Affairs,” Jackson said in a statement.
The Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs was investigating allegations that Jackson, who has been physician to three presidents, had overseen a hostile work environment as White House physician, drank on the job and allowed the overprescribing of drugs.
Details about the allegations against Trump’s nominee to lead the federal government’s second-largest agency were compiled in a document by Democratic committee staff that surfaced on Wednesday. Trump lashed out angrily at Democrats for Jackson’s withdrawal in a phone interview with Fox News, calling them obstructionists who were politicizing his nominees. He singled out Democratic U.S. Senator Jon Tester, who gave a series of interviews about the allegations against Jackson.
“He would have done a great job,” Trump said. “These are all false accusations. They’re trying to destroy a man.” Trump said he has a new candidate with “political capabilities” for the job. (Reuters)