White House chief of staff John Kelly is on President Donald Trump's short list of candidates to take over at Veterans Affairs, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The administration is scrambling to put up another nomination to lead the 370,000-strong VA in the aftermath of the debacle and failed candidacy of Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson, who withdrew last week after a slew of allegations against him.
Along with Kelly, the president also is considering former Congressman Jeff Miller, R-Florida, and Anthony Tersigni, the president and chief executive of Ascension, the Journal reports.
The potential candidacy of Kelly comes amid a report that he called the president an "idiot," forcing a statement from the chief of staff to deny it. It also comes amid a swirl of speculation that Kelly is on his way out as chief of staff, having been bypassed by Trump recently.
Trump seeks a candidate with "political capability" to run the VA but at this point might settle for someone he knows could easily get confirmed by the Senate, the Journal reports.
Kelly was confirmed 88-11 to run the Department of Homeland Security, a post he held for just a few months before replacing Reince Priebus, Trump's first chief of staff.
Be it Kelly or whoever Trump taps to run the VA, they'd be replacing David Shulkin, forced out by the administration in late March.
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