{"id":17522,"date":"2018-05-18T16:45:34","date_gmt":"2018-05-18T16:45:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/05\/18\/in-another-surprise-trump-names-wilkie-as-the-next-va-secretary\/"},"modified":"2026-08-18T20:40:58","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T20:40:58","slug":"in-another-surprise-trump-names-wilkie-as-the-next-va-secretary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/veterans\/2018\/05\/18\/in-another-surprise-trump-names-wilkie-as-the-next-va-secretary\/","title":{"rendered":"In another surprise, Trump names Wilkie as the next VA secretary"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">WASHINGTON \u2014 President Donald Trump on Friday named <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/pay-benefits\/2018\/04\/05\/wilkies-move-to-acting-va-secretary-raises-new-issues-for-pentagon-personnel-office\/\" title=\"\" class=\"selected-link\" target=\"_blank\" data-original-title=\"\">acting Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie<\/a> his latest pick to be the next permanent head of that department in the administration\u2019s latest attempt to bring stability to the second-largest federal bureaucracy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The surprise announcement \u2014 at a prison reform summit at the White House \u2014 appeared to catch even Wilkie off guard. Trump introduced Wilkie in a line of other Cabinet secretaries by saying that \u201cI will be informing him in a little while, he doesn\u2019t know it yet, that we are going to be putting his name up for nomination to be Secretary of the Veterans Administration.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wilkie has served as acting secretary since <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/veterans\/2018\/03\/28\/shulkin-out-trump-fires-va-secretary-after-weeks-of-controversy\/\" title=\"\" class=\"selected-link\" target=\"_blank\">the firing of David Shulkin 51 days ago<\/a>, amid a travel scandal and questions about his leadership style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump\u2019s first pick to replace Shulkin, former <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/veterans\/2018\/04\/25\/trumps-ronny-jackson-disaster-will-make-fixing-the-va-a-lot-harder\/\" title=\"\" class=\"selected-link\" target=\"_blank\" data-original-title=\"\" aria-describedby=\"popover440715\">White House physician Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson, <\/a>withdrew his name from consideration last month after allegations emerged about unprofessional behavior and medication mismanagement in his role as the administration\u2019s top doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/veterans\/2018\/04\/11\/vets-groups-and-lawmakers-say-theyre-against-it-but-what-does-privatization-of-veterans-affairs-really-mean\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"215\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP_13102205629.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Vets groups and lawmakers say they\u2019re against it \u2014 but what does \u2018privatization\u2019 of Veterans Affairs really mean?<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The term will command much of the debate at the new VA secretary&#039;s confirmation hearing, but different groups have different definitions.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wilkie, who has been serving since last fall as the Defense Department\u2019s under secretary for personnel and readiness, has received generally positive reviews from veterans groups and lawmakers since taking over the top VA role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But both AMVETS and VoteVets.org have openly challenged his appointment to the post, saying that Trump illegally bypassed VA Deputy Secretary Thomas Bowman in installing Wilkie in the temporary leadership role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump at Friday\u2019s event apologised for ruining the surprise, but also praised Wilkie for his work in recent weeks to advocate for sweeping legislative reforms to the department\u2019s community care programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Just days prior, Wilkie said that his top priorities as interim VA head would be to work with lawmakers on that reform plan \u2014 the House passed it on Wednesday, the Senate is expected to follow suit next week \u2014 and to finalize a deal for an electronic health records overhaul, which took place Thursday afternoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wilkie, 55, is an Air Force Reserve colonel who previously spent time in the Navy Reserve and the son of an Army artillery commander. He has spoken frequently about growing up on military bases, and of the challenges his family faced in dealing with his father\u2019s combat injuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/veterans\/2018\/05\/16\/sweeping-veterans-policy-bill-passed-overwhelmingly-in-the-house\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"196\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP_16190749319719.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Sweeping veterans policy bill passed overwhelmingly in the House<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The VA Mission Act, expected to be taken up quickly in the Senate, includes new community care rules, a caregiver stipend expansion and more.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He served in the Pentagon under Defense Secretaries Robert Gates and Donald Rumsfeld as an assistant secretary, and previously special assistant to President George W. Bush for national security affairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He also served as a senior advisor to Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., prior to his recent Pentagon appointment, and was touted as a worthy replacement for Jackson by Tillis in recent weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a welcome message to staff last month, Wilkie promised to continue to build a customer-service focus for veterans programs and to tamp down agency infighting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cCustomer service must start with each other,\u201d he said in a video release. \u201cNot talking at each other, but talking with each other across all office barriers and across all compartments. If we don\u2019t listen to each other, we won\u2019t be able to listen to veterans and their families.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Department leadership has been in disarray since the firing of Shulkin, who accused political appointees within the White House of working to privatize VA operations and undermine his reform efforts. Administration officials have denied those allegations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Those privatization concerns are likely to face Wilkie when he comes to Capitol Hill for his confirmation hearings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In recent weeks, Wilkie\u2019s staff at VA have denied accusations of trying to shift substantial financial resources outside the department\u2019s health care system to benefit private companies, but have also insisted that the medical demands of America\u2019s veterans are too expensive to force federal VA clinics to handle the entire workload.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No timetable has been set for that confirmation hearing. The process typically takes a month of background checks and preparatory work before the Senate will schedule a date, although Wilkie\u2019s confirmation for the Pentagon post just last year may help shorten that timeline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a statement, Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee Chairman Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., praised the choice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAs acting secretary of the VA, I\u2019ve enjoyed my time getting to know Robert Wilkie and working alongside him to advance community care legislation through Congress,\u201d he said. \u201cI look forward to learning more about his long-term views for the VA, including how he plans to implement the VA MISSION Act when it becomes law.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"200\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Jyf-dsxwRyE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen title=\"A message to VA's workforce from Acting Secretary Robert Wilkie\"><\/iframe>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Wilkie, the Pentagon&#8217;s top personnel official, has been serving as the acting head of VA since David Shulkin&#8217;s firing in 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By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>In another surprise, Trump names Wilkie as the next VA secretary - Air Force TImes<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Wilkie, the Pentagon&#039;s top personnel official, has been serving as the acting head of VA since David Shulkin&#039;s firing in March.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"In another surprise, Trump names Wilkie as the next VA secretary\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Wilkie, the Pentagon&#039;s top personnel official, has been serving as the acting head of VA since David Shulkin&#039;s firing in March.\" \/>\n<meta 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