VA Pick Has Long History Of Fighting On Front Lines Of His Bosses’ Culture Wars
President Donald Trump's pick for VA secretary, Robert Wilkie, will have his hearing in front of the Senate today. He brings with him three decades of experience with military policies and a history of working with some polarizing politicians.
The Washington Post:
Robert Wilkie, Trump’s VA Nominee, Built A Career Working With Polarizing Figures In American Politics
Robert Wilkie, President Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, is a conservative Washington insider who would bring three decades of military policymaking and a deep list of Capitol Hill connections to a Cabinet post responsible for serving one of the administration’s most crucial constituencies. But when he appears Wednesday for his Senate confirmation hearing, Wilkie will also draw on a career spent working shoulder to shoulder with polarizing figures in American politics and often defending their most divisive views. (Sonne and Rein, 6/26)
The Associated Press:
Low-Key Washington Insider Makes A Bid To Fix Struggling VA
Wilkie wasn't Trump's first choice to replace Shulkin; his nomination of White House doctor Ronny Jackson withered in the face of late-surfacing allegations of workplace misconduct. All the while, Wilkie was quietly working at the VA, signing a major $10 billion deal to overhaul veterans' electronic medical records. He was taken aback when Trump made an impromptu offer of the permanent job at a public event in mid-May. (6/26)