{"id":70979,"date":"2018-07-30T23:30:14","date_gmt":"2018-07-30T23:30:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/07\/30\/robert-wilkie-sworn-in-as-trumps-veterans-affairs-secretary\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T14:41:23","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T14:41:23","slug":"robert-wilkie-sworn-in-as-trumps-veterans-affairs-secretary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/2018\/07\/30\/robert-wilkie-sworn-in-as-trumps-veterans-affairs-secretary\/","title":{"rendered":"Robert Wilkie sworn in as Trump\u2019s Veterans Affairs secretary"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 Robert Wilkie has been sworn in as the next secretary of Veterans Affairs<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Donald Trump said Monday during an Oval Office ceremony that Wilkie will work day and night \u201cto protect those who protect us.<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also told Wilkie that hundreds of thousands of people are counting on him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
President Donald Trump, pumps his fist as Robert Wilkie, left, accompanied by his wife Julia, right, is sworn in as Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs during a ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, July 30, 2018, in Washington. (Andrew Harnik\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The former Pentagon official was selected to replace Secretary David Shulkin<\/a>, who was fired amid ethics charges and internal rebellion at the department over the role of private care for veterans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wilkie was confirmed by an 86-9 vote in the Senate last week. He secured the backing of many Democrats after insisting he would not privatize the government’s second-largest department.<\/p>\n\n\n\t