Embattled Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin arrived on Captiol Hill Thursday ahead of a House subcommittee hearing on his agency’s budget.
Shulkin told reporters that he has not spoken to President Donald Trump Thursday, amid reports that the President has grown frustrated with him and is considering replacing him.
He did not respond to reporters’ questions about whether he feels secure in his job.
The President has considered replacing Shulkin with Energy Secretary Rick Perry, who coincidentally is also testifying on Captiol Hill Thursday morning.
Perry told CNN’s Rene Marsh he is not interested in the VA post.
“I’ve got the perfect job,” Perry said on his way into a hearing Thursday. Asked if he is happy as energy secretary, Perry said “I’m a happy man.”
Shulkin, who ran the VA’s health system under President Barack Obama, still has the backing of key lawmakers on the House and Senate veterans’ panels. But his standing with the White House has soured amid reports of turmoil within the agency and disputes with agency staffers and Trump administration political appointees over policy.
He was also the subject of a damning inspector general report that faulted him and senior aides for their handling of a 2017 Europe trip. According to the report, Shulkin’s then chief of staff altered an email to justify allowing the secretary’s wife to travel using taxpayer money. The report also put a spotlight on how much time Shulkin spent sightseeing, as opposed to official business, and concluded that he had improperly accepted a gift of Wimbledon tickets.
Shulkin has repaid the government for his wife’s travel and maintained that he did nothing wrong but should have asked more questions of staff. He says he regrets that the travel flap has distracted from his agency’s mission.