Unaware..

VA’s Shulkin was 'unaware' Trump would announce transgender ban

By DIAMOND NAGA SIU

Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin said Wednesday that he "was not aware" that President Donald Trump would announce on Twitter that he was barring transgender people from serving in the military.

But Shulkin backed up Trump's assertion that transgender service members have additional costs in an interview with Rita Cosby on 77WABC.

"Certainly, when you personalize care, there are added costs," Shulkin said. “Transgender veterans do require staff that are trained to be able to deal with their situation appropriately so that they can get the care that they want with the dignity and the outcomes that they deserve.”

Shulkin said he believed that the VA would able to handle an influx of transgender veterans when they are no longer able to serve.

"I don't see this as a major complication for us. I think that it's important that veterans know that the VA is a safe place to get their care," he told Cosby, adding, that "we value and respect the dignity of all our veterans."

Shulkin said he is not “overly concerned” about shifts in funding, though his department must still fully grasp the impact of this change to make adjustments as necessary. He said while the requirements for serving changed, the support after serving remains steadfast.

“Once a person signs up to defend our country, they have to know that the VA is there and committed to them through the end of their life," he said in the interview.