President Trump Has Kept His Promises
By: Robert L. Wilkie
Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs
Not since President Lincoln has another president done more to ‘care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan’
The facts are clear: No president has done more in two years to strengthen our military and reform the Department of Veterans Affairs to better serve our nation’s heroes than President Donald Trump.
From pushing the Islamic State terrorist organization to the brink of defeat, to increasing troop strength and modernizing our military’s equipment on the battlefield, Trump sends a strong signal to any country or terrorist group that confronting the United States or our allies is a losing proposition.
Until Trump, no candidate in history had made serving our veterans the centerpiece of a presidential campaign. In office, Trump has kept his promise, improving the lives of America’s veterans through a number of key initiatives that enact more reform across the organization than at any other time in decades.
These impactful reforms include the MISSION Act, which provides real health care choice to eligible veterans, and the Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act, which makes VA one of the most accountable agencies in the federal government.
Trump has also done more in less than two years to improve transparency for veterans than any of his predecessors. In contrast to every other health system in the nation, VA now posts wait times online for every VA medical center across the country, and it updates them on a weekly basis. The agency is also the first hospital system in the nation to post online its opioid prescription rates, accountability and settlement information, and chief executive travel.
Under Trump, VA is also adopting a joint electronic health record system that aligns with the one used by the Department of Defense. This transition will result in all Defense and VA patient data residing in one common system, better integrating information across components and enabling seamless care as those who fight for our country’s freedoms transition back into civilian life.
Make no mistake: President Trump has kept his promises to keep our country safe, revitalize our military, and reform VA. Not since President Lincoln has another president done more to “care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan,” just as our nation deserves.