President Joe Biden’s personal physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, refused to answer questions Wednesday during a House Oversight Committee deposition. He invoked the Fifth Amendment when asked if he lied about Biden’s health or covered up signs of cognitive decline.
O’Connor served as Biden’s doctor throughout his presidency. He declined to answer anything beyond confirming his name. According to Oversight Chair James Comer (R-KY), the physician’s refusal points to a coordinated effort to hide Biden’s mental and physical condition from the public.
“It’s clear there was a conspiracy to cover up President Biden’s cognitive decline,” Comer said. “Dr. O’Connor’s refusal to answer any questions speaks volumes.”
The committee posted footage of the interview on X. Comer and others called the doctor’s silence unprecedented and suspicious.
Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX), who also served as a White House physician, said the Fifth Amendment plea “all but confirms” O’Connor was part of “the biggest coverup in presidential history.”
Republicans on the committee claim Biden’s mental decline was kept from the public. They say the cover-up continued even after reports surfaced about his battle with aggressive prostate cancer that had spread to his bones.
Questions about Biden’s cognitive state date back to 2019, during his first presidential campaign. Concerns intensified after he dropped out of the 2024 race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris.
The White House repeatedly insisted Biden was fit for office. But critics pointed out that there is no law requiring a president to disclose full medical records. Comer said Congress may need to act.
“We will continue to interview more Biden White House aides to get the answers Americans deserve,” Comer said. “Congress must assess legislative solutions to prevent such a cover-up from happening again.”
Legal experts and committee members said O’Connor could have answered some questions. They argue doctor-patient confidentiality did not apply. Dr. Jeffrey Kuhlman, a former White House physician, told The Post that neither of the questions posed to O’Connor violated HIPAA laws.
Democrats pushed back. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), who attended the deposition, said pleading the Fifth was common legal advice. She defended Biden’s time in office. “He completely understood what was going on,” Crockett said.
She added that Biden’s speech issues were not signs of cognitive decline. “That’s not anything new and it’s not anything that came with age,” she said.
But Comer pointed to new claims from Original Sin, a tell-all book by journalists Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson. The book alleges that a “Politburo” of senior Biden aides were making key decisions during his final year in office.
Several of those aides are scheduled for depositions. They include Annie Tomasini, Steve Ricchetti, Ron Klain, and others.
The Trump White House declined to invoke executive privilege over O’Connor’s testimony. The committee plans more high-profile interviews. Ashley Williams will testify Friday. Jill Biden aide Anthony Bernal is scheduled for July 16.
“There’s more and more evidence coming out every day that suggests President Biden was in a severe mental decline,” Comer said. “And we’re not going to stop until the American people know the full truth.”