As President Donald Trump continues to clean house, embattled Secretary of Veterans Affairs David Shulkin will reportedly be the next high profile departure from the White House, The Associated Press reported Sunday evening.
According to administration officials who spoke with the AP, Shulkin will be pushed out of the White House this week, with one saying the odds of it happening in the next few days are “50-50.” Trump is reportedly waiting to push Shulkin out until he has decided on a replacement. One person familiar with the discussion told the AP that the White House is currently looking at at least six candidates to head the VA, including Pete Hegseth, who works as a contributor on “Fox and Friends,” Trump’s favorite show.
Shulkin is an Obama-era holdover who has recently come under intense scrutiny over an internal watchdog report released in February that found he had improperly accepted tickets to Wimbledon and that his staff had made changes to an email to give his wife reason to travel to Europe with him, on the taxpayers’ dime. A separate internal investigation, looking into an allegation that Shulkin had his office’s security detail come with him to Home Depot and carry furniture, is set to be released in coming weeks.
White House Chief of Staff John Kelly has reportedly told Shulkin in recent weeks that he’s uncomfortable with Shulkin’s statements in the media, voicing complaints about internal feuds within his office, according to the AP.
Of course, as always there is no reporting on the real reason Shulkin is being pushed out. That would require real reporting Let me give you a hint. The Koch brothers want to do away with the VA. Shulkin is too competent for their tastes. He has the ability to make sure the agency succeeds.
"Trump is reportedly waiting to push Shulkin out until he has decided on a replacement."
Bullshit.
"…the White House is currently looking at at least six candidates to head the VA, including Pete Hegseth, who works as a contributor on “Fox and Friends,” Trump’s favorite show."
OK. That makes a certain Trumpian “sense”. But, wouldn’t it make even more sense just to drop the pretence and move the White House to the Fox News studio in New York?
Pete Hegseth, who works as a contributor on “Fox and Friends,” Trump’s favorite show.
When satire becomes reality. I was thinking about joking about the replacement being a FOX contributor. Then I read that line…
I’m so pissed at Shulkin for giving the Orange Monster a reason to fire him. He was a firewall against the conflagration in at least one department, and he self-immolated.
I agree. This was an own goal.
Just because all the other kids are cheating doesn’t mean you’ve gotta start too. Really, the descent to grade school playground rules is nearly complete.