John Brennan, who served as CIA director during the Obama administration, on Thursday slammed President Trump’s decision to nominate White House physician Ronny Jackson as his next secretary of Veterans Affairs, saying it “was terribly misguided.”
“I personally know and greatly respect Ronny Jackson….as a terrific doctor and Navy officer. However, he has neither the experience nor the credentials to run the very large and complex VA,” Brennan wrote on Twitter.
“This is a terribly misguided nomination that will hurt both a good man and our veterans,” he added.
I personally know and greatly respect Ronny Jackson….as a terrific doctor and Navy officer. However, he has neither the experience nor the credentials to run the very large and complex VA. This is a terribly misguided nomination that will hurt both a good man and our veterans
— John O. Brennan (@JohnBrennan) March 29, 2018
Jackson will replace the current VA secretary, David Shulkin, who came under fire for improperly using taxpayers’ funds for a 2017 trip to Europe.
Jackson, a native of Levelland, Texas, served as the White House physician for former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and now Trump. He joined the Navy after graduating from Texas A&M University in 1991 and the University of Texas Medical Branch in 1995 and is now a rear admiral.
But Jackson has been criticized for lacking bureaucratic government experience.
Robert Wilkie, the current undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, will serve as acting VA secretary until Jackson is confirmed by the Senate.
Brennan was CIA director from 2013 to 2017. He was also Obama’s national security adviser from 2009 to 2013.
