WASHINGTON — With the capital reeling from the abrupt firing of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, speculation swirled Tuesday night that President Donald Trump may continue the shakeup by firing his veterans affairs secretary and moving Rick Perry to that troubled department.

Texas' longest-serving governor is a former Air Force pilot. The veterans affairs post was among the slots Trump eyed him for before picking him for the Energy Department — one of three that Perry vowed to abolish during his 2012 presidential run, and the one whose name eluded him during an "oops" moment at a 2011 debate.

Trump had lunch with Perry on Monday and gushed about him at an East Room event honoring the World Series-winning Houston Astros.

"Thank you to the Energy Secretary, Rick Perry. We love Rick, right? Did I do the right job with Rick?" the president said to applause. "I think we did the right job."

By Tuesday evening, multiple news outlets reported that Trump is considering firing VA secretary David Shulkin and replacing him with Perry. Trump raised the idea with Perry on Monday, according to a number of news outlets that cited unidentified White House officials, but has not offered him the job.

The White House didn't comment on the rumors.

Shulkin is the only Obama administration holdover in the Trump Cabinet. He has been under fire for ethical missteps. Trump has reportedly grown impatient with his handling of the perennially troubled department. And he and Trump have clashed over potential privatization of veterans' health care.

According to The Associated Press, Shulkin "has been holding on to his job by a thread since a bruising internal report" released last month that found ethics violations in connection with a July trip to Denmark and England with his wife.

The department's inspector general also is looking into a complaint that a member of his security detail was asked to go on a shopping trip to Home Depot with Shulkin and carry furniture items into his home.

Perry was among Trump's fiercest critics early in the 2016 GOP presidential race, calling him a "cancer on conservatism" before falling in line and emerging as an enthusiastic surrogate later in the campaign.

After winning the election, Trump considered Perry for Cabinet posts overseeing veterans affairs, defense and agriculture.

Last week, Perry acknowledged having qualms about Trump's plan to slap tariffs on steel imports, warning of "unintended consequences" on the economy and jobs.