White House releases name of Biden's neurologist, says only seen during annual physical

NEW YORK – The White House released a letter late Monday night from President Joe Biden’s physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor regarding his most recent neurological physical examination from February of this year.

The letter named Dr. Kevin Cannard as the neurology consultant to the White House Medical Unit since 2012. According to the letter, he regularly holds neurology clinics at the White House Medical Clinic in support of the thousands of active-duty military personnel assigned to the White House.

According to the letter, Biden saw Cannard as part of his yearly physical in which he was also seen by other medical specialists.

O’Connor said Biden has not seen a neurologist outside of his annual physical.

O’Connor referenced the letter he released following Biden’s February physical in which he said “there were no findings which would be consistent with any cerebellar or other central neurological disorder, such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s or ascending lateral sclerosis, nor are there any signs of cervical myelopathy.

“Seeing patients at the White House is something that Dr. Cannard has been doing for a dozen years. Dr. Cannard was chosen for this responsibility not because he is a movement disorder specialist,” the letter said. “But because he is a highly trained and highly regarded neurologist here at Walter Reed [hospital] and across the Military Health System, with a very wide expertise which makes him flexible to see a variety of patients and problems.”

Tense press briefing 

The letter was released Monday night after a tense press briefing in the afternoon where reporters hounded Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre for information about the White House neurologist whose name had not yet been released publicly.

Jean-Pierre said she was unable to share Cannard’s name from the podium given security reasons. Reporters continued to press Jean-Pierre if Cannard, a Parkinson’s expert, was at the White House to participate in anything surrounding Biden’s care.  

In last Friday’s interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, Biden said his debate performance was indicative of a bad night and not a serious condition.

Later in the interview, he dodged Stephanopoulos’s question about being willing to undergo an independent medical evaluation that included neurological and cognitive tests by saying he has a “cognitive test every single day” by running the world and his campaign.

Stephanopoulos asked Biden point-blank if he’s sure he has the mental and physical capacity to serve another four years, to which Biden answered yes, because the last thing he wants to do is “not be able to meet that.”