President Trump chose his physician, Ronny Jackson, to serve as leader of the Department of Veterans Affairs because “the status quo was not working,” White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters said just one day after Trump announced Jackson’s nomination.
“The president has full confidence in Adm. Jackson,” Walters told reporters traveling aboard Air Force One with Trump on Thursday. “The president did have some early individuals that he was looking at but continuously went back to Dr. Jackson to fulfill this role as VA secretary and ultimately decided that his healthcare experience, his distinguished career in the medical profession was something that would be beneficial at the VA.”
Trump dismissed Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin on Wednesday after weeks of allowing speculation about Shulkin’s future to flourish. His first VA secretary generated controversy by spending taxpayer money on personal excursions during professional travel, as well as for his staff’s alleged efforts to cover up those expenses when the trip came under scrutiny.
The VA also suffered through a series of embarrassing headlines during Shulkin’s tenure, including stories related to the severe mismanagement of a VA hospital in Washington, D.C.
“At the end of the day, as I said earlier, the status quo was not working,” Walters said Thursday. “We need somebody who understands the health care system.”
