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| Trump calls for Senator Jon Tester to resign over Ronny Jackson claims | Trump calls for Senator Jon Tester to resign over Ronny Jackson claims |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Donald Trump has called for the resignation of Jon Tester, the Democratic senator who released details of allegations against Ronny Jackson, the White House doctor who withdrew his nomination to be secretary of veterans affairs. | Donald Trump has called for the resignation of Jon Tester, the Democratic senator who released details of allegations against Ronny Jackson, the White House doctor who withdrew his nomination to be secretary of veterans affairs. |
| “Allegations made by Senator Jon Tester against Admiral/Doctor Ron Jackson are proving false,” the president tweeted. “The Secret Service is unable to confirm (in fact they deny) any of the phony Democrat charges which have absolutely devastated the wonderful Jackson family. Tester should resign.” | “Allegations made by Senator Jon Tester against Admiral/Doctor Ron Jackson are proving false,” the president tweeted. “The Secret Service is unable to confirm (in fact they deny) any of the phony Democrat charges which have absolutely devastated the wonderful Jackson family. Tester should resign.” |
| Before playing golf in Virginia on Saturday morning, Trump added a shot aimed at voters in Tester’s home state, Montana. Tester will run for a third term in November against an as yet undecided Republican. The GOP primary is on 5 June. | Before playing golf in Virginia on Saturday morning, Trump added a shot aimed at voters in Tester’s home state, Montana. Tester will run for a third term in November against an as yet undecided Republican. The GOP primary is on 5 June. |
| The Senate majority whip, John Cornyn, said on Thursday Tester had “poked the bear”, inviting Trump to intervene in a state he won by 20 points in 2016. On Saturday Trump duly growled, writing: “The great people of Montana will not stand for this kind of slander when talking of a great human being. | The Senate majority whip, John Cornyn, said on Thursday Tester had “poked the bear”, inviting Trump to intervene in a state he won by 20 points in 2016. On Saturday Trump duly growled, writing: “The great people of Montana will not stand for this kind of slander when talking of a great human being. |
| “Admiral Jackson is the kind of man that those in Montana would most respect and admire, and now, for no reason whatsoever, his reputation has been shattered. Not fair, Tester!” | “Admiral Jackson is the kind of man that those in Montana would most respect and admire, and now, for no reason whatsoever, his reputation has been shattered. Not fair, Tester!” |
| Tester is the ranking Democrat on the Senate veterans affairs committee, the panel which considered Jackson’s nomination. In a statement on Saturday, he said: “It’s my duty to make sure Montana veterans get what they need and have earned, and I’ll never stop fighting for them as their senator.” | |
| An email from the senator’s office added: “President Trump has signed eight of Tester’s bills into law to hold the [Department of Veterans Affairs] accountable and improve care and benefits for veterans.” | |
| Jackson’s nomination to run the sprawling VA came after he delivered a glowing endorsement of Trump’s health. The nomination immediately attracted criticism, given Jackson’s lack of relevant bureaucratic experience. | |
| Tester’s office collected the allegations of misconduct, which included a claim that Jackson “got drunk and wrecked a government vehicle” at a secret service party. On Friday, the White House released records it said raised doubt about some of the most serious allegations regarding Jackson’s prescribing practices and leadership ability. | Tester’s office collected the allegations of misconduct, which included a claim that Jackson “got drunk and wrecked a government vehicle” at a secret service party. On Friday, the White House released records it said raised doubt about some of the most serious allegations regarding Jackson’s prescribing practices and leadership ability. |
| The records, including police reports and reviewed by the Associated Press, showed Jackson was in three minor incidents in government vehicles in the last five years, but none involved alcohol and he was not found to be at fault. | The records, including police reports and reviewed by the Associated Press, showed Jackson was in three minor incidents in government vehicles in the last five years, but none involved alcohol and he was not found to be at fault. |
| Democratic staff on the Senate committee considering Jackson’s nomination also claimed the doctor doled out such a large supply of a prescription opioids that staffers panicked because they thought the drugs were missing. They said their allegations were based on conversations with 23 of Jackson’s current and former colleagues at the White House medical unit. | Democratic staff on the Senate committee considering Jackson’s nomination also claimed the doctor doled out such a large supply of a prescription opioids that staffers panicked because they thought the drugs were missing. They said their allegations were based on conversations with 23 of Jackson’s current and former colleagues at the White House medical unit. |
| That unit passed regular controlled substance audits, according to records for the last three years. The reviews did recommend improvements to the unit’s handling of controlled substances, but did not find misconduct. | That unit passed regular controlled substance audits, according to records for the last three years. The reviews did recommend improvements to the unit’s handling of controlled substances, but did not find misconduct. |
| The documents released by the White House were the result of an internal review, covering recent years. Tester’s office has not specified the time frame in which the alleged misconduct occurred. Tester’s spokeswoman, Marnee Banks, told the AP the office would not comment until it knew more about the White House records. | The documents released by the White House were the result of an internal review, covering recent years. Tester’s office has not specified the time frame in which the alleged misconduct occurred. Tester’s spokeswoman, Marnee Banks, told the AP the office would not comment until it knew more about the White House records. |
| The secret service issued a statement on Thursday about allegations, reported by CNN, that during a foreign trip in 2015 Jackson drunkenly banged on the hotel room door of a female employee and secret service personnel intervened out of concern he would wake President Barack Obama. The secret service said it had found “no information that would indicate the allegation is accurate”. | The secret service issued a statement on Thursday about allegations, reported by CNN, that during a foreign trip in 2015 Jackson drunkenly banged on the hotel room door of a female employee and secret service personnel intervened out of concern he would wake President Barack Obama. The secret service said it had found “no information that would indicate the allegation is accurate”. |
| On Thursday, Tester was unrepentant. In remarks reported by Politico, he said: “If [Trump] thinks it’s my job to sweep his stuff under the table and ignore our military folks, he’s wrong. If he thinks I should not be sticking up for veterans, he’s wrong. I look forward to working with President Trump. I’ve worked with him many times in the past, but we disagree.” | On Thursday, Tester was unrepentant. In remarks reported by Politico, he said: “If [Trump] thinks it’s my job to sweep his stuff under the table and ignore our military folks, he’s wrong. If he thinks I should not be sticking up for veterans, he’s wrong. I look forward to working with President Trump. I’ve worked with him many times in the past, but we disagree.” |
| Cornyn, a Texas Republican, said: “Jon poked the bear. Did you see the bear today? The bear was mad. If there was any doubt [Trump] was coming to Montana [to campaign against Tester] it was removed today. He overreached.” | Cornyn, a Texas Republican, said: “Jon poked the bear. Did you see the bear today? The bear was mad. If there was any doubt [Trump] was coming to Montana [to campaign against Tester] it was removed today. He overreached.” |
| Jackson has called the accusations “baseless and anonymous attacks” and “completely false and fabricated”. Trump has come to his defence. | Jackson has called the accusations “baseless and anonymous attacks” and “completely false and fabricated”. Trump has come to his defence. |
| At a press conference with the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, on Friday, the US president said: “These were false accusations about a great man, about a man who has a son who’s a top student at Annapolis, about a man that’s given his life to this country, and to the military. A brave man. He would have been a great leader.” | At a press conference with the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, on Friday, the US president said: “These were false accusations about a great man, about a man who has a son who’s a top student at Annapolis, about a man that’s given his life to this country, and to the military. A brave man. He would have been a great leader.” |
| Trump noted that he, Obama and former president George W Bush had all praised the doctor and said he had called Jackson to tell him he was “an American hero” because he had “exposed the system for some horrible things”. | Trump noted that he, Obama and former president George W Bush had all praised the doctor and said he had called Jackson to tell him he was “an American hero” because he had “exposed the system for some horrible things”. |
| Trump said he was considering a number of potential VA picks, including “some very political people”. | Trump said he was considering a number of potential VA picks, including “some very political people”. |
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