Donald Trump
Donald TrumpReuters

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he is removing Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin and replacing him with White House physician Adm. Ronny Jackson.

“I am pleased to announce that I intend to nominate highly respected Admiral Ronny L. Jackson, MD, as the new Secretary of Veterans Affairs,” Trump tweeted.

“In the interim, Hon. Robert Wilkie of DOD will serve as Acting Secretary. I am thankful for Dr. David Shulkin’s service to our country and to our GREAT VETERANS!” he added.

"Congrats to Admiral Ronny Jackson, MD. Thank you Dr. David Shulkin for your dedication and service to helping our veterans," Vice President Mike Pence tweeted after the announcement.

“I appreciate the work of Dr. David Shulkin and the many great things we did together at Veterans Affairs, including the VA Accountability Act that he was helpful in getting passed,” Trump said in a prepared statement later on Wednesday. “He has been a great supporter of veterans across the country and I am grateful for his service.”

Feelings on Shulkin began to sour in February, when the Veterans Affairs’ inspector general released a report on a trip to Europe over the summer that found Shulkin spent most of his time sightseeing rather than conducting official business and improperly accepted tickets to a Wimbledon tennis match as a gift.

It also said a top aide, who has since resigned, altered an email to gain approval to use taxpayer money to pay for Shulkin’s wife to accompany him on the trip, according to The Hill.

After the report’s release, Shulkin said he would reimburse the government for his wife’s travel and the Wimbledon tickets.

More bad news for Shulkin has since piled up, including reports of another inspector general investigation into an allegation that Shulkin asked a member of his security detail to accompany him to a Home Depot and carry furniture items into his home.

Shulkin, who is Jewish, received a BA from Hampshire College in 1982, and an MD degree from Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1986. He did his medical internship at Yale School of Medicine, and his residency and fellowship in General Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Presbyterian Medical Center.

Jackson has served as the presidential physician since 2013, when former President Barack Obama was in office.

The doctor gained national attention in January when he gave an hourlong press conference praising Trump’s health and crediting his "good genes."

Shulkin’s dismissal comes amid turmoil in Trump's cabinet. Last week, the President fired H.R. McMaster from his post as National Security Adviser and replaced him with John Bolton, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations who is an outspoken critic of the Iran nuclear deal.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was fired on March 13 and CIA Director Mike Pompeo was named to replace him.

Two weeks ago, Trump named conservative TV analyst Larry Kudlow to replace his top economic adviser, Gary Cohn, who stepped down over trade disagreements.