Former President Joe Biden’s personal physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, has been subpoenaed to testify before Congress on June 27 amid allegations of a cover-up of his cognitive decline during his presidency. The subpoena, issued by Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, is part of an investigation into potential unauthorized pardons and other executive actions. Comer has emphasized concerns about O’Connor’s financial ties to the Biden family and whether these ties influenced his medical assessments. The committee is also examining whether O’Connor contributed to efforts to conceal the former president’s fitness to serve from the American public.
Biden’s health and mental state have been a frequent concern throughout his presidency, but the scrutiny has intensified since his recent prostate cancer diagnosis. O’Connor has consistently reported that Biden is in good health, based on annual medical assessments. However, the subpoena reflects growing pressure for transparency, as questions about Biden’s cognitive fitness continue to surface. Comer recently requested O’Connor to voluntarily appear for a transcribed interview, but the doctor refused, as stated in the subpoena. The White House previously blocked O’Connor from appearing for a separate interview, citing a request related to the Biden family’s influence peddling allegations, according to a committee news release.
O’Connor has been overseeing Biden’s health since 2009 and has developed a close relationship with the president and his family. In a profile interview with his alma mater, New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, O’Connor described Biden as a ‘100 percent family first’ leader who approaches his duties with honor and genuine intent. However, the recent subpoena highlights tensions between the administration and congressional investigators, who continue to probe the former president’s health and the potential influence of his family on O’Connor’s medical assessments. The committee’s inquiries may have significant implications for the perception of Biden’s fitness for public office and the integrity of the medical assessments provided by his personal physician.