President Donald Trump’s pick to oversee veterans benefits delivery has withdrawn her nomination, according to two Senate staffers, granted anonymity to discuss personnel moves that have not yet been made public.
The move leaves the Department of Veterans Affairs without a clear path forward for one of its top leadership posts, charged with overseeing more than $174 billion in payouts for a variety of benefits programs in fiscal 2024. The role has been without a Senate-confirmed undersecretary since January, when Josh Jacobs stepped down at the start of the new administration.
In an email sent to congressional offices on Wednesday, provided to POLITICO, lawmakers were informed that Karen Brazell, who was nominated for the Veterans Affairs Under Secretary for Benefits post in June, withdrew for “personal reasons.” Brazell and spokespeople for the White House and the VA did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Brazell had faced significant criticism from Democratic lawmakers because of her role as a senior advisor to VA Secretary Doug Collins, whose aggressive agency cuts raised concerns about agency workloads and efficiency.
During her confirmation hearing in September, Brazell sought to distance herself from controversial staffing and contract cuts at the department over the last seven months. She did, however, acknowledge that as senior adviser, she was involved in reviewing contracts being considered for elimination.
She also fielded multiple questions during the hearing regarding controversial proposals from conservative leaders — including Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought — which would scale back some veterans benefits programs. Brazell promised to streamline benefits delivery but would not completely dismiss plans for possible reductions.
Brazell previously worked in the department as principal executive director and chief acquisition officer for VA’s Office of Acquisition, Logistics, and Construction during the first Trump administration. There, she handled parts of the VA benefits system, including overseeing community care contracts, which provide private-sector options to veterans using department medical care.
It is unclear how quickly the Trump administration will be able to name a new nominee for the role. Department officials are required to establish a commission to consider candidates for the leadership post — a process that took about two months when it was initiated earlier this year.
