President Donald Trump announced long-embattled Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin will be replaced by White House physician Ronny L. Jackson, MD.
The news came on Wednesday night when Trump released a series of tweets—first announcing the appointment of Jackson before thanking Shulkin for his service.
"I appreciate the work of Dr. David Shulkin and the many great things we did together at Veterans Affairs, including the VA Accountability Act that he was helpful in getting passed," Trump said, in prepared statement from the White House. "He has been a great supporter of veterans across the country and I am grateful for his service."
Jackson joined the White House in 2006. He was named physician to the president by Barack Obama in 2013. Jackson caught a bit of the spotlight earlier this year when he conducted a physical on Trump—giving him a clean bill of health.
"Admiral Jackson is highly trained and qualified and as a service member himself, he has seen firsthand the tremendous sacrifice our veterans make and has a deep appreciation for the debt our great country owes them," the president said.
Shulkin, an appointee of Obama, was the last holdover from the previous administration. He was also the first department head without military experience, though he spent his career as a physician and healthcare executive. He appeared to lose favor within the White House after a report from the inspector general raised ethical questions.
On Thursday morning, just hours after his removal from the president’s cabinet, Shulkin released a fiery op-ed in the New York Times,
“I have been falsely accused of things by people who wanted me out of the way,” he wrote. “But despite these politically-based attacks on me and my family’s character, I am proud of my record and know that I acted with the utmost integrity. Unfortunately, none of that mattered. As I prepare to leave government, I am struck by a recurring thought: It should not be this hard to serve your country.”
Shulkin also argued that efforts to privatize the VA will hurt veterans.
“[T]he department has become entangled in a brutal power struggle, with some political appointees choosing to promote their agendas instead of what’s best for veterans,” he wrote. “These individuals, who seek to privatize veteran health care as an alternative to government-run VA care, unfortunately fail to engage in realistic plans regarding who will care for the more than nine million veterans who rely on the department for life-sustaining care.”
Robert Wilkie, the under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness, will serve as acting VA Secretary until Jackson receives Senate approval. Jackson, a rear admiral in the Navy, will retire from active duty before the confirmation process.
Nicholas joined TriMed in 2016 as the managing editor of the Chicago office. After receiving his master’s from Roosevelt University, he worked in various writing/editing roles for magazines ranging in topic from billiards to metallurgy. Currently on Chicago’s north side, Nicholas keeps busy by running, reading and talking to his two cats.