Robert Wilkie

Robert Wilkie
Official portrait, 2018
10th United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs
In office
July 30, 2018 – January 20, 2021
PresidentDonald Trump
DeputyJames Byrne
Pamela J. Powers (acting)
Preceded byDavid Shulkin
Succeeded byDenis McDonough
In office
March 28, 2018 – May 29, 2018
Acting
PresidentDonald Trump
DeputyThomas G. Bowman
Preceded byDavid Shulkin
Succeeded byPeter O'Rourke (acting)
8th Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness
In office
November 30, 2017 – July 30, 2018
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byJessica L. Wright
Succeeded byMatthew Donovan
25th Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs
In office
January 31, 2006 – January 19, 2009
Acting: January 31, 2006 – September 29, 2006
PresidentGeorge W. Bush
Preceded byDan Stanley
Succeeded byElizabeth King
Personal details
BornRobert Leon Wilkie Jr.
(1962-08-02) August 2, 1962
PartyRepublican
SpouseJulia Wilkie
EducationWake Forest University (BA)
Loyola University New Orleans (JD)
Georgetown University (LLM)
United States Army War College (MS)
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Branch/service
RankColonel

Robert Leon Wilkie Jr. (born August 2, 1962) is an American lawyer and government official who served as the 10th United States secretary of veterans affairs from 2018 to 2021, during the first Trump administration. He was previously Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness from November 2017 to July 2018. A Naval intelligence officer in the Reserve, he was Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs in the administration of President George W. Bush.