Biden's former doctor refuses to answer House Republicans' questions

Dr. Kevin O’ Connor, former President Joe Biden’s White House physician, refused to answer questions as part of the House Republican investigation into Biden's health while he served in office.

Biden's former doctor invokes Fifth Amendment 

What they're saying:

Dr. Kevin O’ Connor used his rights under the Fifth Amendment during an interview with the House Oversight Committee, O’Connor’s attorney and lawmakers told the Associated Press on Wednesday.

RELATED: Biden’s White House doctor subpoenaed by House Republicans

The AP reported that one of O’Connor’s lawyers, David Schertler, cited both O’Connor’s responsibilities to protect patient privacy as a doctor and the Justice Department’s investigation into Biden’s use of an autopen.

Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, the House Oversight chair, claimed that O’Connor’s refusal to testify made it clear that it was a "conspiracy."

In a statement from Comer obtained by the AP, he stated, "The American people demand transparency, but Dr. O’Connor would rather conceal the truth." Comer told the AP that his committee will release a report of all its findings once the investigation is complete.

Why was Biden’s former doctor subpoenaed?

Dig deeper:

House Oversight Committee chair James Comer (R-Ky.) has an ongoing investigation revolving around former President Joe Biden’s mental fitness and decline.

This probe is also connected, in part, to assertions from the new book "Original Sin" by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios’ Alex Thompson. The book alleges Biden was not the main decision-maker near the end of his presidency.

RELATED: Trump orders probe into Biden autopen use calling it a White House ‘cover-up’

In June 2025, President Donald Trump called for an investigation into Biden’s use of an autopen, an electronic device that duplicates a person’s signature, in a memo that cites the former president’s "cognitive decline."

CNN reported that Biden rebuffed insinuations in Trump’s memo, saying in a statement Wednesday evening, "Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency. I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations. Any suggestion that I didn’t is ridiculous and false."

Biden investigation

The backstory:

House Republicans’ investigation of former President Joe Biden focuses on whether key actions taken in his remaining days in office, including pardons and federal rule changes, might be legally invalid. 

Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race after he was condemned for his debate performance, in which he appeared confused and struggled to formulate responses to questions. Vice President Kamala Harris replaced him on the ticket and ultimately lost to Donald Trump in the general election.