White House doctor Ronny Jackson withdraws as VA secretary nominee

The White House doctor Ronny Jackson has withdrawn as Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of veterans affairs following a slew of accusations against him.

“Unfortunately, because of how Washington works, these false allegations have become a distraction for this president and the important issue we must be addressing – how we give the best care to our nation’s heroes,” Jackson said in a statement put out by the White House on Thursday morning.

“While I will forever be grateful for the trust and confidence President Trump has placed in me by giving me this opportunity, I am regretfully withdrawing my nomination to be secretary for the Department of Veterans Affairs.”

A document was released on Wednesday detailing allegations that Jackson, the current White House physician who serves as a rear admiral in the United States navy, mishandled drugs and wrecked a car while intoxicated. He denied wrecking a car.

He had also been criticised as lacking experience for the job of VA secretary. His confirmation hearing at the Senate veterans affairs committee was delayed this week.

The White House had insisted on Wednesday that Jackson “had received more vetting than most nominees” before the release of the document by Jon Tester, the top Democrat on the Senate committee.

In an interview on Fox News on Thursday, Trump defended Jackson’s character and experience, saying: “These are false accusations. These are false. They’re trying to destroy a man.”

Trump also insisted: “You could take the head of the biggest hospital corporation in the world and it is peanuts compared to the VA so nobody has experience” to lead the government agency.

Earlier in the week, Trump had given Jackson some space to withdraw his name. Speaking at a press conference next to President Emmanuel Macron of France, he said: “I don’t want to put a man through a process that is too ugly like this and it’s disgusting. I’ll stand behind him. He’s a fine man but it’s his choice.”

Jackson first received national attention when he told reporters in January that Trump had “incredibly good genes” after giving him a physical.

“I told the president that if he had a healthier diet over the last 20 years, he might live to be 200 years old,” he said at the time.

Despite his withdrawal from consideration for the cabinet, Jackson returned to his normal duties as White House physician. In a statement, the press secretary, Sarah Sanders, said: “Admiral Jackson is a doctor in the United States navy assigned to the White House and is here at work today.”

He is the second Trump cabinet nominee to withdraw before a confirmation vote in the Senate. Andy Puzder, Trump’s first choice to be secretary of labor, pulled out in February 2017.

Betsy DeVos, Trump’s nominee to be secretary of education, was only confirmed after Vice-President Mike Pence cast a tiebreaking vote in 2017. DeVos, who faced concerns about her qualifications for the post, was the first cabinet member in American history to require a vice-presidential tiebreaker to be confirmed.