Shulkin says he did not ‘resign’ as Veterans Affairs Secretary
WASHINGTON — Former Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin is making it clear he was fired from his job amid conflicting claims from the White House.
White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters is telling The Associated Press that Shulkin had resigned from his job when President Donald Trump abruptly announced via Twitter last Wednesday that he was nominating White House doctor Ronny Jackson to replace him.
But in television interviews Sunday, Shulkin says he had not submitted a resignation letter, or planned to, and was only told of Trump’s decision shortly before the Twitter announcement.
Shulkin says he was “committed to making sure this job was seen through to the very end.”
The semantics could be relevant to Trump’s ability to name an acting VA secretary to temporarily fill Shulkin’s place.
