Noted Non-Veteran Sarah Palin May Be Next Veterans Affairs Director
Sarah Palin is being considered for Secretary of Veterans Affairs, a Trump transition official told ABC News.
While she has not been beckoned to Trump Tower like other nominees, the former Alaska governor was one of Trump's first endorsers and has been speaking about veterans' issues quite a bit lately.
On Sunday her son-in-law, Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer, posted a Facebook video with excerpts from a speech she gave, attacking the "bureaucracy" in the VA for "killing our vets."
In the clip, Palin goes on to promote more job training, better health care and secured benefits for veterans, before bashing President Obama.
"Stop blaming the victim and wake up, Mr. President," she declares.
"While Christians bow our heads to pray for you, radical Islamists want to cut off your head. The only thing standing between us and savages—it's the red white and blue, it's the United States military. And if you love freedom, thank a vet."
Trump's campaign CEO, Steve Bannon knows Palin well—he made a documentary about her in 2011 called The Undefeated.
According to an insider, she recently told Trump's transition team, "the megaphone I have been provided can be used in a productive and positive way to help those desperately in need."
With a budget of $182 billion and more than 300,00 employees, the Department of Veterans Affairs is actually the largest agency in the U.S. government.
Other names have surfaced for the position, including Rep. Jeff Miller, the chair of the House Veterans Affairs committee, and former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, who said he had "great meeting" with the president-elect about the post.
Brown worked on veterans' issues in both the Massachusetts state legislature and Congress, where he broke with his party to vote for the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell.
They may sound more qualified, but Palin's also being discussed for other roles—like Energy Secretary and Secretary of the Interior.
Maybe Veterans Affairs wouldn't be so bad.