President-elect Trump has announced that he will nominate former Congressman Doug Collins (R-Ga.), an Air Force Reserve chaplain, to be the next Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Collins, a lawyer by trade who served in Congress from 2013 to 2021, is an ardent supporter of Trump and was one of the House's biggest defenders during the Democratic-led impeachment hearings against the then-president. He tried to use that position in the presidential election. He ran unsuccessfully for the Senate in 2020.
Since leaving Washington, D.C., he has served as Trump's legal advisor, particularly regarding the MAGA movement's false claims that the 2020 election was stolen by illegally cast votes in Georgia.
Collins, 58, joined the Air Force Reserve in 2002 after serving as a Navy chaplain for two years in the mid-1990s. He then deployed to Iraq in 2008 as part of the 94th Wing at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta, Georgia.
In a statement announcing his intention to nominate Collins to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs, President Trump said Collins would be a “great advocate” for current and former military members.
“Doug himself is a veteran, currently serving our country as a chaplain in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, and fought for our country in the Iraq War,” President Trump said. “We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for active duty military, veterans, and military families to ensure they get the support they need.” I guess.”
