Sen. Jon Tester is denying politics played a role in his decision to help kill President Donald Trump's nomination of Dr. Ronny Jackson to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, The Hill is reporting.
"It's not political,” Tester, D-Mont., said Thursday. "I am focused on making sure that we have the best person possible to run the VA. It's a very, very important agency."
Jackson withdrew from consideration Thursday, saying "false allegations" against him had become a distraction.
Trump had singled out Tester over the handling of Jackson, the White House doctor.
The president's particular ire for Tester came after the senator had labeled Jackson as a "candy man," who had been handing out prescription medications while at the White House.
"I think this is going to cause him a lot of problems in his state," Trump said of Tester in an interview on TV's "Fox & Friends."
And he added: "He took a man who was just an incredible man, an incredible man, respected by President (Barack) Obama, gave him his highest rating. You saw what president Obama said. President George W. Bush ... he has been my doctor and he run as fantastic operation."
Tester said Thursday he wants the president to nominate someone who will "push back against the folks who are going to privatize the VA.”
But The Hill noted Trump had fired VA secretary David Shulkin, who did not support privatizing more of the agency's mission.
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