{"id":39208,"date":"2020-12-16T19:46:18","date_gmt":"2020-12-16T19:46:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/12\/16\/big-six-veterans-groups-ask-trump-to-fire-va-secretary-wilkie-immediately\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T07:08:57","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T07:08:57","slug":"big-six-veterans-groups-ask-trump-to-fire-va-secretary-wilkie-immediately","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/2020\/12\/16\/big-six-veterans-groups-ask-trump-to-fire-va-secretary-wilkie-immediately\/","title":{"rendered":"Big six veterans groups ask Trump to fire VA Secretary Wilkie immediately"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The nation\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2020\/12\/11\/major-veterans-groups-call-for-va-secretarys-ouster-following-damning-report\/\" target=_blank>leading veterans groups<\/a> on Wednesday formally requested that President Donald Trump fire <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2020\/12\/10\/investigators-blast-va-secretarys-unprofessional-behavior-but-find-no-evidence-of-crimes\/\" target=_blank>Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie<\/a> immediately from his Cabinet post, saying that the VA administrator \u201cno longer has the trust or confidence of America\u2019s veterans.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The letter \u2014 signed by leaders from the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America, AMVETS and Vietnam Veterans of America \u2014 is the latest damning assessment of Wilkie\u2019s ability shepherd the department following the release of an inspector general report last week criticizing his handling of a sexual assault allegation late last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe findings make clear that the secretary himself established a defensive posture and made decisions to personally disparage the veteran and circumvent the subsequent IG investigation,\u201d the letter states.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis is a tremendous breach of trust among veterans, and Secretary Wilkie must be held accountable. His actions not only threaten to deter veterans from seeking care at VA, but also undermine the efforts of VA staff who have been working to bring an end to sexual harassment throughout the department.\u201d<\/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\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2020\/12\/14\/lawmaker-faces-possible-ethics-inquiry-for-role-in-va-sexual-assault-investigation-scandal\/\" 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=\"195\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP_18319598170965.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\">Lawmaker faces possible ethics inquiry for role in VA sexual assault investigation scandal<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Rep. Dan Crenshaw is accused of trying to discredit a House staffer who alleged she was assaulted at a VA medical center.<\/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\">White House officials in recent days have declined comment on the report and declined to answer if the president still has faith in Wilkie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since the report\u2019s release, 21 lawmakers have also called for Wilkie\u2019s removal, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.; House Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee Chairman Mark Takano, D-Calif.; and Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee members Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No Republicans have publicly called for Wilkie\u2019s firing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In response to the calls for Wilkie\u2019s ouster, VA press secretary Christina Noel said that the secretary \u201chas led VA to achieve landmark improvements in veterans\u2019 trust, quality of care and employee satisfaction. He will continue to lead the department, including its historic response to the COVID-19 pandemic.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At issue is Wilkie\u2019s response to allegations in September 2019 from a staffer on Takano\u2019s committee \u2014 Navy reservist Andrea Goldstein \u2014 who alleged she was assaulted and verbally abused by a man in a public area of the Washington D.C. VA medical center while she was visiting the hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The VA Secretary promised a full, independent investigation into the allegations. However, the IG report released Dec. 10 said Wilkie and other senior leaders instead worked to discredit Goldstein, investigating her background and spreading rumors about her honesty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wilkie accused both Takano and the Inspector General of politicizing the investigation, and of searching for ways to smear VA leadership despite finding no evidence of crimes. In a statement last week, Wilkie criticized the Inspector General\u2019s office as \u201c\u201dmore dedicated to scoring political points than improving the department.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The letter from the so-called \u201cbig six\u201d veterans service organizations noted that in past surveys, one in four women veterans have reported experiencing some form of sexual assault or harassment within VA.<\/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\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2020\/12\/10\/investigators-blast-va-secretarys-unprofessional-behavior-but-find-no-evidence-of-crimes\/\" 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=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP20140783642304.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\">Investigators blast VA secretary\u2019s \u2018unprofessional\u2019 behavior but find no evidence of crimes<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The report accuses senior officials of ignoring problems within the department to pursue political vendettas instead.<\/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\">\u201cSolving this problem takes strong and committed leadership, and we no longer believe Secretary Wilkie is capable of leading this charge or performing his duties in the best interest of veterans,\u201d the group wrote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If Trump opts not to fire Wilkie, the VA Secretary is still expected to depart the job in the next month. President-elect Joe Biden has already announced former White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough as his pick to be the next VA Secretary, and is not expected to retain Wilkie as a bridge administrator until McDonough\u2019s confirmation.<\/p>\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\">Out now: Big six vets groups (<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DAVHQ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@DAVHQ<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/PVA1946?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@PVA1946<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/AMVETSHQ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@AMVETSHQ<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/VVAmerica?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@VVAmerica<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/VFWHQ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@VFWHQ<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/AmericanLegion?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@AmericanLegion<\/a>) sends a letter to Trump asking for <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/SecWilkie?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@SecWilkie<\/a> to be fired. &quot;He no longer has the trust or confidence of America\u2019s veterans and should be removed.&quot; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/zXNDnBYacB\">pic.twitter.com\/zXNDnBYacB<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Leo Shane III (@LeoShane) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/LeoShane\/status\/1339287972504629248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 16, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The groups&#8217; say they have lost faith in the ability of VA Secretary Robert Wilkie to lead the department.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":74491,"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":[]},"categories":[101,23,89,12,26,62,19],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3222],"class_list":["post-39208","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-home","category-middle-column","category-news","category-newsletters","category-pentagon-congress","category-veterans"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"CM25FDNQTBAWHJNDR7DIWZQVNA","arc_canonical_url":"\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2020\/12\/16\/big-six-veterans-groups-ask-trump-to-fire-va-secretary-wilkie-immediately\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"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>Big six veterans groups ask Trump to fire VA Secretary Wilkie immediately - Navy Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The groups&#039; say they have lost faith in the ability of VA Secretary Robert Wilkie to lead the department.\" \/>\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=\"Big six veterans groups ask Trump to fire VA Secretary Wilkie immediately\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The groups&#039; say they have lost faith in the ability of VA Secretary Robert Wilkie to lead the department.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" 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