White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday that former First Lady Jill Biden should testify before Congress regarding Joe Biden’s health decline, accusing her of helping to conceal his condition from the public.
The comment came in response to a question posed by Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy during a press briefing.
The exchange followed developments surrounding the House Oversight Committee’s investigation into the Biden White House’s handling of the president’s health.
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Committee Chairman James Comer recently subpoenaed President Biden’s personal physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, along with several former White House officials, as part of a probe into what Republicans allege was a deliberate effort to mislead the public about Biden’s physical and cognitive condition.
“There’s some folks in President Biden’s inner circle who are now in talks with Republicans in Congress to give interviews on how they may have handled Biden’s decline,” Doocy asked.
“Is the president satisfied with aides only sitting for these transcribed interviews or would he like to see some kind of testimony from the former first lady, Dr. Biden?”
Leavitt responded, “I think, frankly, the former first lady should certainly speak up about what she saw [regarding] her husband and when she saw it and what she knew. Because I think anybody looking again at the videos and photo evidence of Joe Biden with your own eyes and a little bit of common sense can see this was a clear coverup and Jill Biden was certainly complicit in that coverup. There’s documentation video evidence of her clearly shielding her husband away from the cameras, they were just on ‘The View’ last week, she was saying everything was fine. She’s still lying to the American people, she still thinks the American public [is] so stupid that they’re going to believe her lies and frankly, it’s insulting and she needs to answer for it.”
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The calls for testimony come amid renewed scrutiny following the release of Original Sin, a book co-authored by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios reporter Alex Thompson.
The book includes detailed accounts from inside the Biden administration, describing efforts by aides and staff to manage public perceptions of Biden’s physical and mental state throughout his presidency and reelection campaign.
According to the book, White House staff frequently shielded Biden from questions, handed him notecards with event instructions, and rushed him away from press events.
One incident in June 2023 involved Biden suffering a fall, prompting Dr. O’Connor to warn aides that another fall could result in the need for a wheelchair.
Staff reportedly increased their efforts to protect Biden from similar incidents, fearing the visual impact ahead of the 2024 election.
The book also describes discrepancies between public claims and medical facts. After Biden’s slow walking pace drew attention, aides attributed it to foot fractures sustained in 2020.
However, Dr. O’Connor stated those fractures had fully healed, undercutting the White House narrative.
During a May 8 appearance on ABC’s The View, Jill Biden dismissed concerns about her husband’s cognitive health, calling him a “great president” who “worked really hard.”
During the segment, she stepped in to finish a response when President Biden appeared to trail off while answering a question about his mental fitness.
In addition to the subpoena for Dr. O’Connor, Chairman Comer has requested testimony from former White House officials Anthony Bernal, Annie Tomasini, and Ashley Williams, all of whom were closely involved with the president’s daily activities.
Comer cited O’Connor’s February 2024 medical memo, which described Biden as “robust” and “fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency.”
Further questions about Biden’s health intensified in May when his office revealed he had been diagnosed with an “aggressive form” of prostate cancer.
Medical experts have since said Biden likely had cancer during his time in office.
On the Senate side, Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin has announced plans to open a separate investigation into the White House’s handling of Biden’s health.
Axios first reported the development on May 21.
Both House and Senate Republicans have indicated the inquiries will continue through the remainder of the year.
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