President Trump on Wednesday touted the success of his efforts to overhaul the Department of Veterans Affairs and called for national unity a day after reigniting controversy over his response to recent racial violence in Charlottesville, Va.
“It is time to heal the wounds that divide us,” Trump said during a speech in Reno, Nev., on Wednesday.
His attempt at fostering unity came hours after he blasted the media for glossing over the strongest parts of his previous statements on the Charlottesville violence that claimed the life of a woman protesting white supremacy on Aug. 12.
Trump also highlighted his administration’s VA reforms, such as the creation of a White House complaint hotline for veterans, the passage of legislation that allows veterans to seek VA-funded care in the private sector and initiatives aimed at increasing transparency by publishing wait times at clinics and disciplinary actions levied at misbehaving employees.
“No longer will veterans be kept waiting for years to get an answer to their appeals,” Trump said, referring to the backlog of claims and appeals veterans have filed in search of benefits. “They will receive timely updates and they will get decisions much more quickly in a fraction of the time.”
Trump vowed to work with the American Legion, the veterans’ service organization that hosted the speech, to pass additional legislation aimed at modernizing the VA’s outdated systems.
