President Trump said Friday he intends to nominate Robert Wilkie, who’s serving as acting secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, to become the permanent head of the VA.
The president made the announcement while introducing Mr. Wilkie with other administration officials at an event on prison reform at the White House. He said Mr. Wilkie “has done an incredible job at the VA” on a temporary basis.
“I’ll be informing him in a little while — he doesn’t know this yet — that we’re going to be putting his name up for nomination to be secretary of the Veterans Administration,” Mr. Trump said to applause.
The president then told Mr. Wilkie, “I’m sorry that I ruined the surprise.”
Mr. Trump tapped Mr. Wilkie, a top Pentagon official, to run the VA temporarily after Secretary David Shulkin was ousted in late March.
The White House was considering several candidates for the post after Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson, who was the president’s personal physician, withdrew his nomination amid allegations of personal misconduct. Others who were considered included former House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Jeff Miller and Anthony Tersigni, CEO of the Ascension health-care system.
The president noted that the Senate will take up legislation next week to expand health-care choices in the private sector for veterans.
“We’re very close to getting ’choice’ approved,” he said.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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