Embattled Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin is expected to be on Capitol Hill on Thursday, as President Donald Trump’s frustration with him grows and the President considers replacing him with Energy Secretary Rick Perry.
Shulkin is scheduled to appear before a House appropriations subcommittee to testify on his department’s budget, but he will almost certainly face questions on reports of infighting between the secretary, members of his staff and Trump administration political appointees.
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.