Trump taps Wilkie as next Veterans Affairs secretary

[DonViejo]

Source: Politico





By ELANA SCHOR 05/18/2018 11:56 AM EDT

President Donald Trump on Friday announced he would tap current acting Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie to be the department’s next permanent leader, joking that he had “ruined the surprise” for the previously unaware Wilkie.

A former aide to Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Pentagon official, Wilkie must be confirmed by the Senate before becoming the VA’s permanent leader.


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Read more: https://www.politico.com/story/2018/05/18/trump-taps-wilkie-as-next-veterans-affairs-secretary-597621

[IronLionZion]

1. Wilkie has been the acting secretary

and seems slightly more qualified than that hot mess Ronny Jackson.

Still no hospital management experience.

[keithbvadu2]

2. What a confidence builder for Wilkie, 2nd choice after Dotard's unqualified personal physician.

[Overseas]

3. I worry about Wilkie pushing privatization of the VA

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2018/05/15/house-vote-major-va-overhaul-private-care-option.html

Dr. David Shulkin was undersecretary of health before becoming secretary and eventually the only holdover from the Obama administration in Trump's Cabinet.

Shulkin won Trump's praise at the outset but eventually fell victim to charges that he was slow-rolling the expansion of the Choice program, in addition to two damning reports in quick succession from the office of the VA Inspector General.

Shulkin favored the extension and expansion of Choice while pledging that the "privatization" of VA health care, one of the VSOs' main concerns, would not happen "on my watch."

[FailureToCommunicate]

4. Win with Wilkie...

Or not:
(From the link)

"Wilkie's nomination could hit a snag due to his tie to the ongoing probe of Trump’s ties to Russia: He was one of three congressional aides present when the Trump campaign supported the rejection of a tough-on-Russia provision proposed for the GOP’s 2016 platform."