Trump nominates his personal doctor to replace VA secretary
washington — US President Donald Trump shook up his cabinet once again on Wednesday, sacking embattled Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin and nominating White House doctor Ronny Jackson as his successor.
“I am pleased to announce that I intend to nominate highly respected Admiral Ronny L. Jackson, MD, as the new Secretary of Veterans Affairs,” said Trump, who has also replaced his secretary of state and national security advisor in the last month. “I am thankful for Dr. David Shulkin’s service to our country and to our GREAT VETERANS!” he said on Twitter.
Pentagon official Robert Wilkie would serve as interim department chief until Jackson receives Congressional approval, the president added. Shulkin’s sacking had been widely predicted after he was accused of spending $122,000 on a nine-day trip to Europe with his wife, which included sightseeing at castles and taking in professional tennis matches.
He was one of the few senior officials in the Trump administration
I am thankful for Dr David Shulkin’s service to our country and to our GREAT VETERANS!” Donald Trump, US president
who had also served during the presidency of Barack Obama.
Jackson’s stock with Trump rose after he pronounced in January that the 71-year-old president was in “excellent” health.
After releasing the results from Trump’s physical, Jackson said “he has incredible genes and that’s the way God made him.”
VoteVets, a progressive organization, urged Senators to “ask him blunt, direct questions about how the VA works” during his confirmation hearing. — AFP