He’s also lobbied for policies that would restrict VA care and believes veterans should ask for fewer government benefits.
“We want to have full choice where veterans can go wherever they want for care,” Hegseth told Trump on speakerphone as Shulkin listened, according to Shulkin’s 2019 memoir.
For Shulkin, a rare “holdover” from President Barack Obama’s administration to Trump’s, this was “the worst-case scenario” for veteran health care, and one he had repeatedly warned Hegseth against.
As secretary of defense, Hegseth would oversee the Military Health System, which is separate from the Veterans Health Administration.
“If this continues, the Defense Department will eventually be a health care and pension provider that also happens to fight wars,” he wrote.
Persons:
Washington CNN — “, Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump, David Shulkin, Trump, He’s, ” Hegseth, Shulkin, Doug Collins, ”, Barack Obama’s, Hegseth, ” Shulkin, Collins, “ Fox, I’ve, Shawn Ryan, Amy McGrath, Sen, Mitch McConnell, hasn’t, “ I’m, it’s, ” McGrath, “, McGrath, there’s, Charles, David Koch, Max Rose, VoteVets, –, ‘, ’ ”, I’m, ’, Hegseth –, America –, Ryan, hadn’t, Kate Kuzminski, ” Kuzminski, ” Rose, Kuzminski
Organizations:
Washington CNN, Department of Veterans Affairs, Fox News, Veterans, CNN, Marine, Biden, Military Health, Veterans Health Administration, Pentagon, Wall, Defense Department, Army Reserve, Democratic, America, Trump, “, White, White House, American, Center, New, New American Security
Locations:
speakerphone, Trump’s, Kentucky, America, New American