WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump said Thursday he’s nominating former Republican U.S. Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia to be his secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs as he continues to quickly assemble his next administration.
Collins, a former congressman from 2013 to 2021 and trusted Trump loyalist, is a chaplain of the United States Air Force Reserve Command. He served in the Iraq War in 2008.
“We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need,” Trump said in a statement.
Collins opted against running for reelection in 2020 to instead run for U.S. Senate in Georgia. Despite having Trump’s endorsement, Collins finished third behind Republican Kelly Loeffler, the then-incumbent senator, and Democrat Raphael Warnock in the first round of a special election. Warnock went on to narrowly defeat Loeffler in a runoff.
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The Veterans Affairs Department − a historically maligned department over its care for the nation’s more than 9 million veterans − is currently led by Biden-appointment Denis McDonough.
The Department of Veterans Affairs provides benefits, health care, and cemetery services to military veterans. It employs nearly 371,000 health care professionals and support staff at VA medical facilities across the country.
Collins said he is honored to accept the nomination in a post on X. “Our heroes deserve the best care and support,” Collins said. “We’ll fight tirelessly to streamline and cut regulations in the VA, root out corruption, and ensure every veteran receives the benefits they’ve earned.”
Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison
