The White House transparency controversy has escalated after former President Biden’s physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, invoked the Fifth Amendment to avoid testifying about the President’s health. Dr. O’Connor was subpoenaed by House Oversight Committee chairman James Comer to testify regarding Biden’s alleged health decline. According to Dr. O’Connor’s attorney, the committee’s approach was “unprecedented” and “alarming.” Comer accused Dr. O’Connor of participating in a “coup to conceal President Biden’s cognitive decline.”
Invoking the Fifth Amendment Creates Issues
Invoking his Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, the longtime doctor to former President Joe Biden, has refused to respond to questions from the House Oversight Committee. In order to look into Biden’s mental health during his presidency, especially after his highly criticized debate performance in June 2024, the committee had subpoenaed Dr. O’Connor.
According to the doctor’s legal team, Dr. O’Connor was adhering to legal advice and safeguarding doctor-patient privilege because of the intricate nature of his work. Republican criticism of the Biden administration’s handling of the former president’s health disclosures has increased as a result of this action, with Committee Chairman James Comer leveling grave charges of possible cover-up.
Biden White House doctor Kevin O’Connor just pled the fifth during his closed-door House Oversight Committee interview.
He gave no comments as he left.
O’Connor is guilty AF. pic.twitter.com/x1iclJTkeo
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) July 9, 2025
Medical Privacy Lawsuit vs. Congressional Supervision
A basic conflict between congressional oversight authority and medical privacy rights lies at the core of this dispute. Dr. O’Connor’s attorney, David Schertler, had previously requested a delay in testimony, warning that the committee’s approach threatened broader principles of medical confidentiality. The committee rejected this request, maintaining that witnesses can assert privilege on a question-by-question basis.
To make matters more complicated, the Trump White House has waived executive privilege so that former Biden staffers can talk about their interactions with Biden. In addition to subpoenaing other former Biden aides to testify regarding the former president’s cognitive state, the committee intends to continue its investigation.
Ex-White House Dr. Kevin O’Connor pleaded the Fifth Amendment and ducked out of his high-profile congressional deposition Wednesday over the purported shielding of President Joe Biden’s cognitive decline. https://t.co/tVWE4dFxw9 pic.twitter.com/FyKa42C7FO
— New York Post (@nypost) July 9, 2025
Conspiracy and Cover-Up Accusations
In his assessment of Dr. O’Connor’s refusal to testify, Chairman Comer did not hold back. In a strongly worded statement, he accused the physician of participating in a deliberate effort to conceal information about Biden’s health from the American public. The chairman also indicated This controversy may lead to legislative action designed to prevent similar situations from occurring in the future.
“It’s now clear there was a conspiracy to cover up President Biden’s cognitive decline after Dr. Kevin O’Connor, Biden’s physician and family business associate, refused to answer any questions and chose to hide behind the Fifth Amendment. The American people demand transparency, but Dr. O’Connor would rather conceal the truth. Dr. O’Connor took the Fifth when asked if he was told to lie about President Biden’s health and whether he was fit to be President of the United States. Congress must assess legislative solutions to prevent such a cover-up from happening again.”
Biden’s Health Revelations
Adding complexity to the situation is Biden’s recent announcement of a serious health diagnosis. According to Biden’s spokesperson, the former president has been diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer with bone metastasis. This revelation has prompted questions about the timing of the diagnosis and whether there were earlier indications of health issues during his presidency that weren’t fully disclosed to the public.
Throughout the controversy, Biden has consistently denied claims about his mental capacity. Following his difficult debate performance, he acknowledged age-related challenges but defended his ability to serve. The committee’s investigation continues with plans to make their findings public in a forthcoming report, ensuring this matter will remain in the spotlight for the foreseeable future.
Sources:
- Attorney for Biden’s Ex-Doctor Calls House GOP’s Move “Unprecedented and “Alarming”—Newsweek