Former Biden communications advisor Anita Dunn is facing a closed-door interview with House Oversight Committee investigators examining potential cover-ups regarding the former president’s cognitive decline and the use of autopen for executive actions. Dunn is the tenth former White House official to testify, with several others subpoenaed and invoking the Fifth Amendment to avoid answering questions.
The investigation, led by Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., aims to determine whether Biden’s inner circle may have concealed signs of mental decline in the 82-year-old leader. The probe also considers the possibility that some executive actions were carried out without his awareness, raising questions about the legality and ethics of such decisions. Dunn, who has known Biden for years, is appearing voluntarily before the committee’s lawyers for a transcribed interview, expected to begin around 10 a.m. and last until the afternoon.
Three of the 10 former officials who have already appeared before the committee have been subpoenaed and opted to plead the Fifth Amendment, citing self-incrimination concerns. The six others who appeared voluntarily have all defended Biden’s mental acuity and ability to serve as president, though some, like former Chief of Staff Ron Klain, have acknowledged the impact of Biden’s age on his performance over time.
Dunn has been a central figure in Democratic communications and public relations strategies throughout the years, playing a key role in Biden’s messaging strategy during his 2024 re-election campaign. White House advisors have described her as running the communications efforts for the president, highlighting her influence and expertise in shaping public perception of the former president.
Her husband, former Obama administration White House counsel Robert Bauer, also reportedly served as Biden’s personal lawyer, placing the couple at the center of the former president’s political orbit. The White House has previously dismissed rumors about Dunn’s potential removal, with chief of staff Jeff Zients calling them ‘unfounded and insulting’ in a statement to NBC News.
Comer’s letter to Dunn emphasized her role as a key communications advisor and her close relationship with Biden, urging her to provide ‘observations’ of the former president’s mental acuity and health. The committee expressed concern that if White House staff enacted a strategy to hide Biden’s condition or perform his duties absent his awareness, Congress may need to consider legislative measures to address such issues.