Washington: The US President-elect named Doug Collins, a former congressman from Georgia, as the next US Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA), making him the newest member of Donald Trump’s cabinet.

Trump said in a statement Thursday that he has faith in Collins‘ ability to speak out for veterans, active serving service members, and military families.

Doug will be a wonderful champion for our active duty servicemembers, veterans, and military families to make sure they receive the help they need. We must look out for our brave men and women in uniform. We appreciate your desire to serve our nation in this crucial capacity, Doug,” the statement said.

Collins, a veteran himself, served in the US Air Force Reserve Command as a chaplain and fought for the United States in the Iraq War.

Collins said he was honored to accept Trump’s nomination as Secretary of Veterans Affairs and that they will “fight tirelessly to streamline and cut regulations in the VA, root out corruption, and ensure every veteran receives the benefits they’ve earned.”

Accepting Donald Trump’s nomination as Secretary of Veterans Affairs is an honor. The finest treatment and assistance are due to our heroes. We will do everything in our power to eliminate corruption, simplify and reduce VA rules, and guarantee that all veterans get the benefits they are entitled to. Those who fought for us will benefit from the VA if we work together. In a post on X, Collins said, “It’s time to deliver for our veterans and provide them with the top-notch care they deserve.”

Trump named Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the new US Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Thursday. Kennedy Jr. is the nephew of John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States.

After winning 295 electoral votes in the 2024 presidential election, Trump defeated Democratic opponent Kamala Harris, who received 226 votes, to win a second term as president of the United States.

President-elect Donald Trump has acted quickly after winning to assemble his national security and foreign policy staff in preparation for his official inauguration in January 2025.

Trump named former Congresswoman Lieutenant Colonel Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence (DNI), Florida Senator Marco Rubio as Secretary of State, and Congressman Matt Gaetz as the US Attorney General on Wednesday.

He also announced last week that Vivek Ramaswamy, an Indian entrepreneur, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk would head the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Trump also appointed former National Intelligence Director John Ratcliffe to lead the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), former New York Congressman Lee Zeldin to lead the US Environmental Protective Agency (EPA), Pete Hegseth to be Secretary of Defense, and William Joseph McGinley to be White House Counsel.