US President Donald Trump (C) and his White House physician Dr. Ronny Jackson (L) listen as US Secretary of Veterans Affairs David J. Shulkin speaks about new technology used by the Department of Veterans Affairs during an event in the Roosevelt Room of the White House August 3, 2017 in Washington, DC. / AFP PHOTO / Brendan Smialowski        (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)
Trump taps White House doctor as VA secretary
02:35 - Source: CNN
Washington CNN  — 

President Donald Trump on Thursday made his first public comments on his decision to oust David Shulkin, the head of the Department of Veterans Affairs, saying that he did so because he “wasn’t happy” with the speed of veteran care.

Trump also said he wanted veterans to “have real choice” in their health care.

The President, who announced that he was nominating White House physician Ronny Jackson in a tweet on Thursday, also said that he wanted veterans to have the ability to “run to a private doctor.”

“We are going to have real choice. That is why I made some changes, because I wasn’t happy with the speed with which our veterans were taken care of,” Trump said during a speech in Ohio. “I wasn’t happy with it. And we have made a lot of progress.”