Hours after White House physician Ronny Jackson withdrew his name for consideration to be secretary of veterans affairs, talk in official Washington centered on who the president would name next.
Clearly, this is not going to be an easy choice. After former Secretary David Shulkin was forced out over allegations of misconduct and mismanagement and Jackson withdrew following charges of misbehavior while on active duty in the Navy, administration-watchers agree it will be difficult to recruit a fresh nominee.
Before Jackson was tapped for the job last month, a source close to the White House told Newsmax Trump’s first choice was Jake Leinenkugel, a former U.S. Marine captain and senior adviser to Trump on veterans' affairs.
Leinenkugel, 65, who has done business with Trump as president of Leinenkugel’s Brewery in Wisconsin, reportedly has a “great” relationship with the president and White House Chief of Staff John Kelly.
Moreover, Leinenkugel might be controversial because of his past advocacy of privatizing veterans’ hospitals and other services — a controversial stance in a department of more than 300,000 employees which has the most unionized membership of any government department or agency.
Another oft-mentioned prospect for VA secretary, Secretary of Energy Rick Perry, has frequently signaled to reporters he is not interested and wants to remain in his present job.
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
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