White House aides privately worried about Trump VA pick’s lack of experience: report

Several White House aides have expressed concerns about President Trump’s new pick regarding the lack of experience by his new pick for Veterans Affairs (VA) secretary, The New York Times reported Wednesday night.

A number of aides have privately acknowledged that Adm. Ronny Jackson’s lack of managerial experience could be an issue. They added that Jackson’s relationship with the president proved more important than his prior experience, the Times reported.

Trump tweeted earlier Wednesday evening that he intends to nominate Jackson, the White House physician, to replace David Shulkin as VA secretary.

{mosads}Jackson has served as the presidential physician since 2013, when former President Obama was in office. His experience in the White House goes back to former President George W. Bush’s administration and he was also in charge of resuscitative medicine for a trauma-response unit during the Iraq War.

The doctor gained national attention in January when he gave an hourlong press conference praising Trump’s mental and physical health and crediting his “good genes.”

Trump said Jackson, who has no experience running a large organization, “is highly trained and qualified” and as a service member himself “has seen firsthand the tremendous sacrifice our veterans make.”

Trump also thanked the “highly respected” Shulkin, who had come under fire in recent weeks amid a critical inspector general report about his trip to Europe over the summer. Shulkin was unanimously confirmed to Trump’s Cabinet, and had previously served as under secretary of Veterans Affairs in the Obama administration.

Shulkin blasted a “brutal power struggle” at the VA after his ouster.