The Parkinson's disease expert who recently made at least eight visits to the White House wasn't there to examine President Joe Biden, his official physican says.
Dr. Kevin Cannard has examined Biden "for each of his annual physicals" but Biden "has not seen a neurologist outside of his annual physical," presidential physician Kevin O'Connor wrote in a memo released by the White House on Monday night.
The move came hours after a White House news conference became combative over the Monday report in the New York Times that revealed Cannard's repeated visits between July 2023 and March of this year.
While being pressed for more information, White Press press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden, 81, wasn't being treated for Parkinson's.
But Jean-Pierre repeatedly refused to explain Cannard's visits — or even confirm his name — due to privacy concerns.
"It doesn't matter how hard you push me. It doesn't matter how angry you get with me," she said at one point.
Questions about Biden's mental fitness have swirled since he appeared unable to articulate his thoughts during a June 27 debate against former President Donald Trump.
Biden has blamed his poor performance on "feeling terrible" because he had a "really bad cold."
O'Connor's memo was addressed to Jean-Pierre and in it, he said that "in the interests of accuracy" he'd received permission from Biden and Cannard to share "background" on Cannard's visits.
O'Connor said Cannard has since 2012 been the neurology consultant to the White House Medical Unit, which treats "thousands of patients," including members of the U.S. military.
Except for during the COVID-19 pandemic, Cannard "has held regular Neurology Clinics at the White House Medical Clinic in support of the thousands of active-duty members assigned in support of White House operations," O'Connor said.
"Many military personnel experience neurological issues related to their service, and Dr. Cannard regularly visits the WHMU as part of this General Neurology practice," O'Connor wrote. "We value the contributions he has made across the many patients he has treated in support of the White House and its personnel over these years."
O'Connor also said that the "extremely detailed neurologic exam" that was part of Biden's most recent physical, the results of which were released in February, showed no signs of "any cerebellar or other neurological disorder, such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's or ascending lateral sclerosis."
