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Sources: Trump Wants Army Veteran Pete Hegseth to Replace VA Secretary Shulkin
Townhall.com ^ | March 2018 | Katie Pavlich

Posted on 03/14/2018 12:38:17 PM PDT by Kaslin

President Donald Trump is expected to fire VA Secretary David Shulkin and is strongly considering replacing him with U.S. Army Veteran Pete Hegseth, according to three sources who spoke to Townhall under the condition of anonymity. It has been rumored former Texas Governor Rick Perry is also on the list for the job.

It has been widely reported President Trump called Hegseth on Monday during a meeting with Shulkin in the Oval Office to go over options for reform. According to Axios, Trump specifically asked Hegseth to analyze new VA legislation while Shulkin listened in on speaker phone. 

Since Shulkin took over, the VA has continued to be riddled with scandal and a number of reports show veterans are still dying as a result of bad care. The Secretary has also come under fire for lavish taxpayer spending on personal trips.

Hegseth was an original contender to lead the agency during the Trump transition into the White House and worked for years as the President of Concerned Veterans for America on VA reform. At the time, he was backed by a number of VA whistleblowers for the position. Hegseth has been deployed overseas three times and served in Guantanamo Bay. He is an Iraq and Afghanistan veteran with two Bronze Stars. He is currently the weekend host for Fox and Friends and a senior analyst for Fox News.

In recent weeks, the heat on Shulkin has increased as the White House and President Trump have lost patience with his lack of performance. Trump campaigned on VA reform and sources say Shulkin is a creature of government averse to accountability or private care options. 

Shulkin is the only Trump Cabinet member who remains after being held over from the Obama administration. He was unanimously confirmed by the Senate last year.


TOPICS: Cuba; Culture/Society; Front Page News; US: New York
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; cuba; davidshulkin; foxandfriendsweekend; guantanamo; iraq; petehegseth; presidenttrump; rickperry; texas; vareform
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To: airborne

It could be, but probably not. I am glad that it has worked well for you. VA care apparently did not work out so well for many others, especially those who died on secret waiting lists waiting for care that never came. I do know that the huge hospital facilities they have in places like my area cannot be in any way cost effective especially considering the amount of people they service. It also cannot be convenient for people who use it but do not live in the immediate area. In my area it would likely be much cheaper and better to have veterans use civilian facilities. The same town with the huge VA medical center also has a very extensive and modern civilian hospital. The only time I have used the VA was when they made an appointment for me after my retirement physical. I wasn’t impressed and don’t plan to use them in the future.


41 posted on 03/14/2018 6:31:04 PM PDT by jospehm20
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To: jospehm20

And if you are healthy enough to use the civilian system, then you can use the Choice Card.

There are problems with the VA but those are mostly management that is bloated with career federal employees who care more about their paycheck than the veterans.

The analogy I use is this. Consider the VA a car with a bad part. You don’t scrap the whole car, you get rid of the bad part.


42 posted on 03/14/2018 6:47:06 PM PDT by airborne (I don't always scream at the TV but when I do it's hockey playoffs season!)
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To: airborne

Actually, that depends on the part. Sometimes scrapping the car is what you do.


43 posted on 03/14/2018 6:51:17 PM PDT by jospehm20
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To: jospehm20
Well, we'll have to agree to disagree.

But more on topic, I think Hegseth will be a good replacement part.

Shinseki didn't have the power Shulkin has and Shulkin doesn't know how to use it properly

44 posted on 03/14/2018 7:08:43 PM PDT by airborne (I don't always scream at the TV but when I do it's hockey playoffs season!)
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To: airborne

I hope so. There need to be changes so that things like what happened at Phoenix don’t happen anymore.


45 posted on 03/14/2018 7:12:21 PM PDT by jospehm20
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To: Kaslin

I don’t recognize either guy’s name, but I know that guy in the photo. They must have put up the wrong photo. I KNOW that guy from somewhere....

“... He is currently the weekend host for Fox and Friends and a senior analyst for Fox News.”

Oh, THAT guy! I love that guy! What a great pick!


46 posted on 03/15/2018 4:52:42 AM PDT by faucetman (Just the facts, ma'am, Just the facts)
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To: shanover; grania
Why is swamp drain taking so long? Give the left points for that.

OK here's your mental exercise: You are the newly-elected President. It's January 21 2016. You know nothing about the Swamp known as Washington DC other than what you've been told by advisors like Reince Priebus (who is himself a Swamp-dweller). You have Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell (also Swamp-dwellers) down Pennsylvania Avenue, who hate you and did NOT want you elected. You have Obama holdovers throughout the DC bureaucracy hellbent on blocking you and getting rid of you.

You MUST pick people for your administration.

Question: How long do you think it would take you to accurately gauge things, size-up the situation and find good people to help you drain the swamp?


I'll give you a hint: Trump has been on the job a little over a year now. He's accomplished an incredible amount almost by himself - with practically NO help from Congress.

After a year, he's now able to see who's on his side, who is not, and most importantly, who is best able to accomplish MAGA. He's in the process of getting rid of the dross, and shuffling people around to better position his administration for the long haul.

THAT'S why it's taking so long to drain the swamp.

47 posted on 03/15/2018 5:04:39 AM PDT by COBOL2Java (The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen)
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To: COBOL2Java
I wish that President Trump had brought in some middle-class Deplorables from Trump country to be on his WH staff who would help him asses whose agenda is to thwart Trump's agenda. Bringing in the Prince and Princes was a big mistake. They aren't on our team. They evaluate the world from the bias of their NYC frame of mind

FWIW, I'm glad Katrina Pearson is back on staff. She seems like a tell-it-like-it-is survivor of the real world who understands loyalty and hard work.

48 posted on 03/15/2018 5:26:54 AM PDT by grania (Deplorable and Proud of It!)
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To: grania
Bringing in the Prince and Princes was a big mistake.

I'm sure you've noticed that Trump has corrected his mistakes, right? It's called leadership.

If a leader cannot learn from his mistakes, he's doomed to failure.

49 posted on 03/15/2018 5:29:31 AM PDT by COBOL2Java (The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen)
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To: COBOL2Java

I misspelled. I was referring to the Prince and Princess. That’s the way a lot of us refer to Jared and Ivanka. President Trump should’ve known from that pre-inauguration meeting Ivanka had with Planned Parenthood that she’s on the wrong team.


50 posted on 03/15/2018 6:01:14 AM PDT by grania (Deplorable and Proud of It!)
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To: grania
I misspelled. I was referring to the Prince and Princess. That’s the way a lot of us refer to Jared and Ivanka. President Trump should’ve known from that pre-inauguration meeting Ivanka had with Planned Parenthood that she’s on the wrong team.

That's a good point. Family ties are very hard to shake.

51 posted on 03/15/2018 6:31:54 AM PDT by COBOL2Java (The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen)
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To: grania

Agree about Ivanka and PP. She is coming from a very wrong place. Is she now an observant Jew? They believe a child is not a human being until it takes its first breath outside the womb! Despite all modern evidence to the contrary. Cannot believe a woman who has given birth can cling to this ancient mythology...except for her own convenience.


52 posted on 03/15/2018 1:56:43 PM PDT by miserare ( Hillary--you lost! Get over it!!)
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To: miserare

Allowances for abortion in traditional Jewish halachah follow the pattern of taking any other human life; there must be a mortal danger, otherwise it is just murder or at least manslaughter.

The Seven Laws of the Children of Noah, the traditional Jewish rules for non-Jews, have a strong and specific prohibition of abortion.


53 posted on 03/15/2018 2:07:40 PM PDT by jjotto ("Ya could look it up!")
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To: jjotto

There are very different interpretations by modern rabbis. Only the Hasidic Jews still observe the strict laws against abortion. Nearly every one of my female Jewish relatives have had abortions, and brag openly of the fact. I wonder how their living children feel about this.


54 posted on 03/15/2018 2:18:49 PM PDT by miserare ( Hillary--you lost! Get over it!!)
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To: miserare

Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, the leading halachic authority in several generations, is not a hasidic Jew. Far from it.


55 posted on 03/15/2018 3:15:33 PM PDT by jjotto ("Ya could look it up!")
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To: NKP_Vet

I agree with you, no Pete.
Dems have a lot on him and he would not pass confirmation.
We are trying to drain the swamp, not add to it.


56 posted on 03/15/2018 8:44:45 PM PDT by sweetiepiezer (Winning is not getting old.)
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To: COBOL2Java
That's my take also. Plus, members on his transition team didn't realize the depth of the Swamp. As a businessman, he has built an empire. As a non-politician he is on a learning curve as to who are incapable and/or have an agenda contrary to his reform.

I believe that many of his appointees told President-elect Trump just what they expected he wanted to hear for their agendas and resumes'. Trump, being true to form and discovering who really wants the swirl down the drain, is firing those who are cannot or will not assist. Personally, I'm glad to see him fire so many. He's learning and adapting. The big question is Sessions.

57 posted on 03/16/2018 7:23:31 AM PDT by A Navy Vet (I'm not Islamophobic - I'm Islamonauseous. Plus LGBTQxyz nauseous.)
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To: A Navy Vet
That's my take also. Plus, members on his transition team didn't realize the depth of the Swamp. As a businessman, he has built an empire. As a non-politician he is on a learning curve as to who are incapable and/or have an agenda contrary to his reform.

I believe that many of his appointees told President-elect Trump just what they expected he wanted to hear for their agendas and resumes'. Trump, being true to form and discovering who really wants the swirl down the drain, is firing those who are cannot or will not assist. Personally, I'm glad to see him fire so many. He's learning and adapting. The big question is Sessions.

I agree. We shall see. Either Sessions is truly operating Sotto Voce - which appears likely - and if he's not, why hasn't Trump given him the boot?

58 posted on 03/16/2018 7:34:22 AM PDT by COBOL2Java (The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen)
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To: Kaslin

“Trump campaigned on VA reform and sources say Shulkin is a creature of government averse to accountability or private care options.

Shulkin is the only Trump Cabinet member who remains after being held over from the Obama administration.”

Forgive me for being a bit snarky - but considering the Trump Administration made cleaning up the VA a top priority, then why the F would you keep a guy in office whose past performance showed reform was not a priority?


59 posted on 03/16/2018 3:02:03 PM PDT by MplsSteve
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To: Kaslin

As a disabled vet, I approve!

We need one of our own in there.

I get VA news email updates daily, and there is a campaign currently going on to show just how good the VA is, all the improvements, etc. IMO, it’s propaganda.


60 posted on 03/16/2018 6:07:15 PM PDT by redfreedom
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