White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has refused to confirm reports that a Parkinson's disease specialist has repeatedly visited the White House to meet with President Biden's physician, Dr. Kevin O'Connor, citing "security reasons."
Amidst growing scrutiny over President Biden's mental health, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has refused to provide details about the president's doctors, citing security concerns. This reluctance has sparked an explosive exchange with CBS reporter Ed O'Keefe during Monday's press briefing.
Reports initially emerged in the New York Post, indicating that Dr. Kevin Cannard, a neurologist specializing in Parkinson's disease from Walter Reed Military Medical Center, had multiple meetings with Dr. O'Connor over the past year.
Biden's Neurologist Visits: White House Dodges Questions, Citing 'Security Reasons'
During the press briefing, Jean-Pierre repeatedly declined to confirm Cannard's White House visits, despite his name being listed in public visitor logs. When pressed by Associated Press reporter Zeke Miller about whether the visits were related to Biden's health, Jean-Pierre stated, "I'm not going to share people's [doctors'] names."
O'Keefe's frustration with the lack of transparency led to a heated exchange with Jean-Pierre. "It's a very basic, direct question," he exclaimed. "That's what you should be able to answer by this point."
Biden's Neurologist Visits: White House Dodges Questions, Citing 'Security Reasons'
Jean-Pierre pushed back, emphasizing that she could not confirm any names due to security reasons. "We cannot share names of specialists broadly from our dermatologist to neurologist," she explained. "There are security reasons."
O'Keefe challenged her assertion, highlighting that Cannard's visits were public record. "They're on the visitors log," he pointed out. "It's right there for anyone to see."
Biden's Neurologist Visits: White House Dodges Questions, Citing 'Security Reasons'
Jean-Pierre maintained that she could not disclose any names due to privacy concerns and that security considerations outweighed the public's right to know.
NBC correspondent Kelly O'Donnell supported O'Keefe's request, noting that Cannard's visitor logs were publicly available. However, Jean-Pierre remained adamant in her refusal to confirm Cannard's identity.
Biden's Neurologist Visits: White House Dodges Questions, Citing 'Security Reasons'
O'Keefe expressed exasperation with the press secretary's handling of the situation, accusing her of being miffed about the information that had been shared with the press corps.
Jean-Pierre disputed O'Keefe's claim, reiterating that she would not confirm any names, regardless of the public nature of the information. She emphasized that she was protecting the privacy and security of the president's medical team.
Despite the press corps' continued questions, Jean-Pierre maintained her stance, stating that she would not "devolve somebody's name in or confirm someone." She asserted that the president had seen a neurologist three times during his physical examinations, which was consistent with previous reporting.
Several reporters continued to challenge Jean-Pierre on her refusal to release the doctor's name. Jean-Pierre took offense to O'Keefe's insinuation that she was withholding information. She defended her efforts to provide transparency, acknowledging that she may sometimes get it wrong but strives to admit her mistakes.
Jean-Pierre emphasized the importance of respecting the privacy of the president's medical team and that personal attacks would not be tolerated. She stressed that the press briefing aimed to provide information to the public and that the press corps should respect her limitations when she lacked specific details.
