Former White House doctor Kevin O’Connor has been formally subpoenaed to testify about whether he concealed President Biden’s cognitive decline and potentially allowed unauthorized executive actions to be taken during his presidency.
Key Takeaways
- House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer has subpoenaed Dr. Kevin O’Connor, Biden’s personal physician since 2009, for a deposition on June 27.
- The investigation focuses on whether Dr. O’Connor’s financial relationship with the Biden family influenced his assessment of Biden’s fitness for office.
- O’Connor previously refused a voluntary interview request, with his attorneys citing local laws and medical ethics.
- The committee is examining whether Biden’s cognitive decline was concealed from the American public and if unauthorized presidential actions occurred as a result.
- President Trump has ordered an investigation into whether Biden’s aides used an autopen to sign documents, potentially invalidating some presidential actions.
Financial Ties and Medical Ethics at Center of Subpoena
The subpoena issued by Rep. James Comer, chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, marks a significant escalation in Republican efforts to investigate President Biden’s mental fitness during his time in office. Dr. Kevin O’Connor, who has served as Biden’s personal physician since 2009, provided consistently positive health assessments throughout Biden’s presidency, describing him in a memo last year as a “healthy, active, robust 81-year-old male.” However, Republican lawmakers have questioned whether these assessments were accurate or potentially influenced by financial considerations.
“Among other subjects, the Committee expressed its interest in whether your financial relationship with the Biden family affected your assessment of former President Biden’s physical and mental fitness to fulfill his duties as President,” Comer said in a letter accompanying the subpoena.
“Given your connections with the Biden family, the Committee sought to understand if you contributed to an effort to hide former President Biden’s fitness to serve from the American people,” said James Comer
O’Connor’s attorneys have previously refused voluntary cooperation, citing Washington, D.C. code and medical ethics obligations that they claim prevent the disclosure of patient information without consent. Chairman Comer has dismissed these justifications, asserting that congressional oversight is not subject to the same restrictions as court proceedings. The committee’s interest intensified following Biden’s withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race, with many conservatives viewing this as confirmation of long-held suspicions about his cognitive abilities.
Questions About Presidential Authority and Decision-Making
The investigation extends beyond Biden’s medical condition to examine whether his alleged cognitive decline resulted in unauthorized executive actions. President Trump has initiated an inquiry into whether Biden’s aides may have used an autopen to sign official documents, potentially concealing the president’s inability to perform his duties. This raises serious constitutional questions about who was actually governing during Biden’s tenure, including the possibility that some presidential actions, such as pardons and executive orders—could be invalidated.
“involvement in the Biden family’s influence peddling racket, but the Biden White House blocked his testimony,” according to committee news release
Biden has forcefully rejected these allegations, stating: “Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency. I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations. Any suggestion that I didn’t is ridiculous and false.” Despite these denials, the Oversight Committee has expanded its inquiry to include testimony from five members of Biden’s inner circle regarding his mental and physical faculties, signaling that Republicans remain unconvinced by the former president’s assertions.
Pattern of Obstruction Raises Further Questions
The Biden administration’s efforts to block O’Connor’s testimony have further fueled suspicions among conservatives. After initially refusing a voluntary interview request, the White House prevented O’Connor from appearing for a separate interview requested by the committee. This pattern of obstruction has led many to question what information the administration might be trying to conceal about the president’s health and decision-making capacity during his time in office.
“These arguments lack merit,” Comer wrote in response. James Comer
The controversy surrounding Biden’s cognitive abilities reached a fever pitch in the spring of 2024, when his debate performance against Donald Trump sparked widespread concern even among Democrats. The sudden withdrawal from his reelection campaign shortly thereafter, ostensibly for party unity, has only intensified scrutiny of O’Connor’s previous health assessments. For many conservative observers, the timing of these events suggests a coordinated effort to conceal Biden’s true condition from voters until it became impossible to maintain the façade any longer.
