{"id":15927,"date":"2018-03-28T23:35:30","date_gmt":"2018-03-28T23:35:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/03\/28\/trumps-surprise-pick-for-the-next-va-secretary-raises-questions\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T01:50:22","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T01:50:22","slug":"trumps-surprise-pick-for-the-next-va-secretary-raises-questions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/veterans\/2018\/03\/28\/trumps-surprise-pick-for-the-next-va-secretary-raises-questions\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump\u2019s surprise pick for the next VA secretary raises questions"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"wp-block-smg-jwplayer-video\"><atype-video-jwplayer nostick=\"true\" playlisturl=\"https:\/\/cdn.jwplayer.com\/v2\/playlists\/fCzRqMW8?tags=dbddeaf4-3c8e-406e-b3f2-7e5ed9334b78\" poster=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/video-poster-dbddeaf4-3c8e-406e-b3f2-7e5ed9334b78.jpg\" aspectratio=\"16 \/ 9\" mute autostart=\"false\"><\/atype-video-jwplayer><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The head of the Veterans Administration is the latest top official around the Trump administration to leave his post.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">WASHINGTON \u2014 President Donald Trump\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/veterans\/2018\/03\/28\/shulkin-out-trump-fires-va-secretary-after-weeks-of-controversy\/\" title=\"\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\">sudden firing of Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin<\/a> and surprise nomination of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/2018\/01\/13\/trump-gets-excellent-health-report-from-white-house-doctor\/\" title=\"\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\">the White House\u2019s top physician<\/a> to take his place has raised concerns among lawmakers and veterans groups who worry it will disrupt ongoing efforts to reform the massive federal bureaucracy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shulkin, who was approved by a 100-0 vote in the Senate about 14 months ago, became the second top VA executive forced out of office in less than four years. Veterans groups and a series of prominent lawmakers had petitioned Trump to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/veterans\/2018\/02\/15\/amid-travel-scandal-shulkin-vows-to-root-out-division-within-va-leadership\/\" title=\"\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\">keep Shulkin in place<\/a> in recent weeks, arguing his tenure was mostly characterized by significant, meaningful reforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Trump in a series of tweets on Wednesday evening, Trump announced he intended to nominate presidential physician Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson to replace Shulkin, and to move Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Robert Wilkie into the interim leadership post while the transition occurs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jackson, a 23-year sailor and a respected military physician, is largely an unknown in the veterans community. None of his official biography mentions work with the department, or in veterans issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He is an Iraq War veteran how deployed as an emergency medicine physician with the Surgical Shock Trauma Platoon in Taqaddum, Iraq, in 2005. He served as the White House doctor for former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, directing health care for not only the commander-in-chief but their senior staff and Cabinet officials.<\/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\/03\/28\/shulkin-out-trump-fires-va-secretary-after-weeks-of-controversy\/\" 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=\"212\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP_18080702094696.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\">Shulkin out: Trump fires VA secretary after weeks of controversy<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Shulkin, once seen as among Trump&#039;s least controversial Cabinet officials, had drawn criticism in recent weeks for his handling of a travel scandal.<\/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\u2019ll now take over the second-largest federal department, with a staff of more than 360,000 employees who handle health care needs of more than 9 million veterans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., said after the announcement that he looks forward \u201cto meeting Admiral Jackson and learning more about him.\u201d Committee ranking member Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., expressed similar unfamiliarity with Jackson\u2019s background, saying he hopes to find out \u201cif he is up for the job.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-905779040.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-30024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-905779040.jpg.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-905779040.jpg.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-905779040.jpg.jpg?resize=768,512 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson, physician to President Donald Trump, speaks during the daily White House press briefing on Jan. 26, 2018, at the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House. (Alex Wong\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both men are currently working with House and administration officials on an ambitious VA health care overhaul, one that has been entangled in debates of privatization of department responsibilities and how much VA funding should be shifted to private-care options for veterans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shulkin was seen as a central figure in those discussions, although his positions on the issue lead in part to his dismissal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., promised serious scrutiny for the new nominee on those issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis firing threatens the VA\u2019s vital mission to provide first-rate health care, employment services, and essential benefits that we owe to our nation\u2019s heroes, regardless of who is president,\u201d he said in a statement. \u201cIt threatens to deepen and spread chaos and dysfunction prevalent in this administration to veterans\u2019 services that should be enhanced, not diminished.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">House Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee ranking member Tim Walz, D-Minn., in a statement said he didn\u2019t know much of Jackson\u2019s background, \u201cbut I know he has a lot of work to do following the chaos and dysfunction President Trump has created at the VA.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Veterans groups also expressed skepticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe VA has a broad mission and the secretary must be someone who is imminently qualified to lead the nation\u2019s second largest cabinet agency,\u201d said Carl Blake, executive director of Paralyzed Veterans of America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn particular, reforming VA\u2019s health care system to better serve the needs of veterans and their families is of great importance. We encourage the Senate Committee on Veterans\u2019 Affairs to take these concerns very seriously as it considers Admiral Jackson\u2019s nomination.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Sarah Verardo, executive director of conservative-backed Independence Fund, said the move can help move the department out of its current controversies and refocus leaders on reform efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cObviously, as the White House physician, Admiral Jackson has the president\u2019s trust, which will be vital in bridging the final barriers to getting real VA health care choice enacted into law,\u201d she said. \u201cWho is or is not the secretary is not important when this president has laid out such a clear and compelling vision for the VA. What matters is the president has a secretary with whom he can work effectively to achieve that vision.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No timeline has been set for confirmation hearings for Jackson. The process typically takes several months, but that could be extended or sped up based on Congress\u2019 shortened legislative schedule this year due to the November mid-term elections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The Senate must stand up for the VA &amp; the veterans it serves by refusing to confirm Adm. Jackson unless he publicly commits to opposing <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@realDonaldTrump<\/a>&#39;s plans for privatization. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/6iRoVMRx25\">pic.twitter.com\/6iRoVMRx25<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Senator Ruben Gallego (@SenRubenGallego) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/SenRubenGallego\/status\/979130492988555264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 28, 2018<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Nat\u2019l Cmdr Rohan on firing of <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DeptVetAffairs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@DeptVetAffairs<\/a> Sec. Shulkin: \u201cSecretary Shulkin has acted in the best interests of America\u2019s veterans and was making meaningful, positive changes at the VA.  We wish Secretary Shulkin well on his next venture. (thread)<\/p>&mdash; The American Legion (@AmericanLegion) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/AmericanLegion\/status\/979123620218851330?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 28, 2018<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson, the White House physician, is a relative unknown in the veterans community.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":36499,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":19,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":{"2":{"categories":["veterans","news","pentagon-congress"],"primary_category":"veterans"},"4":{"categories":["veterans","news","daily-news-roundup","newsletters","pentagon-congress"],"primary_category":"veterans"},"6":{"categories":["veterans","news","daily-news-roundup","newsletters","pentagon-congress"],"primary_category":"veterans"},"7":{"categories":["veterans","news","daily-news-roundup","newsletters","pentagon-congress"],"primary_category":"veterans"},"8":{"categories":["leadership","management","daily-brief","newsletters","home"],"primary_category":"leadership"}}},"categories":[100,12,25,68,19],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3334],"class_list":["post-15927","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-news","category-newsletters","category-pentagon-congress","category-veterans"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"5RFAWXKKWFGT7GNYVT3KV7RAOM","arc_canonical_url":"\/veterans\/2018\/03\/28\/trumps-surprise-pick-for-the-next-va-secretary-raises-questions\/","remove_feature_photo":true,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented 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>Trump\u2019s surprise pick for the next VA secretary raises questions - Army Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Rear Adm. 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