Hagel supports Shinseki

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel defended VA Secretary Eric Shinseki on Friday.

While Hagel said it was important to find out who was accountable for the VA’s problems, he backed the embattled secretary in the interview with CBS’s “This Morning.” 

“I support Secretary Shinseki,” Hagel said. “I’ve known him a long time.”

Hagel said the top focus should be on fixing problems at the VA before seeking people to blame.

{mosads}”There’s no higher responsibility our country has than to these people who served and sacrificed,” he said.

“Why did this happen? How was it allowed to happen? Who’s accountable? Someone has to be accountable here, like in any institution,” Hagel said.

Hagel also offered sharp criticism for ongoing budget cuts at the Defense Department, describing sequester cuts as the “most irresponsible, mindless actions” he had ever seen in his years in Washington.

Read more from The Hill.