Officials in the White House and some senators are concerned that the Senate will not vote to confirm Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson as Veterans Affairs secretary, Axios reported.
Trump administration officials have been preparing Jackson for his confirmation hearing before the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Wednesday, but concerns remain that he does not have experience as a manager to lead the VA, the second-largest federal government agency, the report said.
Jackson is an active duty admiral who has been the White House physician since George W. Bush's administration.
President Donald Trump selected Jackson as the nominee, but John Kelly, Trump's chief of staff, believed it was not wise to nominate Jackson without going through due diligence. However, Kelly has defended Jackson since then, Axios noted.
The White House is also looking at issues that Sen. John Tester, D-Mont., has raised about Jackson's conduct during his tenure in the U.S. Navy, the report said. "He has some issues with management," Tester said Saturday, according to The Hill.
Republicans on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee including Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., and Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., have expressed their concerns.
"I need to reach the conclusion that I have confidence in the person to lead a huge organization that desperately needs strong leadership," said Moran, according to The Hill.
Rounds told The Hill that Jackson must show he can handle the challenges that the VA presents.
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