Trump nominates new leader for the Department of Veterans Affairs
July 07, 2018
President Donald Trump selected Robert Wilkie, the acting secretary of veterans affairs, as his nominee to head the expansive federal agency.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has not had a permanent secretary since March when Trump fired David Shulkin, the VA’s previous leader. Trump then nominated Dr. Ronny Jackson, the White House doctor, to fill the post. Jackson left the position, after he was accused of misconduct, allegations he denies are true.
The second largest agency in the federal government, the Department of Veterans Affairs has faced monumental challenges and received intense scrutiny in recent years. During President Barack Obama’s administration, the many retiring Vietnam veterans and wounded veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan overwhelmed the VA, causing backlogs and delays in health care. One of the top priorities for the department remains modernizing the health care system’s 40-year-old electronic records.
Wilkie is a veteran himself, having served in the Navy and Air Force Reserves. A career Washington insider, Wilkie has worked for multiple senators and was an assistant defense secretary for President George W. Bush’s administration. Wilkie’s current role as the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness puts him in charge of the health and welfare of all military workers.