Joe Biden ousts controversial White House doctor and brings in his own physician

Joe Biden ousts White House’s Dr. Sean Conley who talked up Trump’s condition when he was battling COVID and brings in his own long-term physician

  • President Joe Biden has replaced Donald Trump’s controversial White House physician with his own doctor, Dr. Kevin O’Connor 
  • O’Connor replaces Dr. Sean Conley, who was criticized for giving conflicting information about Trump’s condition when Trump was battling COVID-19 
  • O’Connor has served as Biden’s doctor for more than a decade
  • He’s a retired U.S. Army colonel
  • It’s not unusual for a president to appoint his own doctor
  • The White House physician usually travels with president and treats first family 

President Joe Biden has replaced Donald Trump‘s controversial White House physician with his own doctor.

Biden has brought his longtime doctor, Kevin O’Connor, on board as the new White House physician.

O’Connor, who has served as Biden’s doctor for more than a decade, replaces Dr. Sean Conley, who was criticized for giving conflicting information about Trump’s condition when the former president was battling COVID-19

Conley admitted to giving an uplifting assessment of Trump’s condition because the White House wanted to project optimism. In reality, the president’s COVID case was more dire and he was, at times, on supplemental oxygen and had a high fever.

‘I didn’t want to give any information that might steer the course of illness in another direction, and in doing so, you know, it came off that we were trying to hide something, which wasn’t necessarily true,’ Dr. Conley said at the time. ‘The fact of the matter is that he’s doing really well.’ 

President Joe Biden has replaced Donald Trump’s controversial White House physician with his own doctor, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, who started treating him when he was vice president

Dr. Kevin O'Connor is a retired US Army colonel and has been Biden's doctor since 2009

Dr. Kevin O’Connor is a retired US Army colonel and has been Biden’s doctor since 2009

It’s not uncommon for a president to name his own physician when taking office. 

O’Connor is a retired US Army colonel who served in the 82nd Airborne Division, the 75th Ranger Regiment, and the United States Army Special Operations Command.

He began serving as Biden’s physician in 2009 when he was appointed physician to the then-vice president.

He previously spent more than two decades in the Army, where traveled to over 70 countries.

He was the doctor who gave Biden a pre-presidential physical, writing that Biden is ‘a healthy, vigorous, 77-year-old male, who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency.’ 

O’Connor also examined Biden in December when the then-president elect fractured his foot. 

At 78, Biden is the oldest inaugurated president in American history.

The physician to the president also serves as director of the White House Medical Unit, a unit of the White House Military Office responsible for the medical needs of the President of the United States, Vice President, White House staff, and visitors. The Physician to the President is also the Chief White House Physician. 

The unit  is headquartered in the ground level of the White House.

The physician to the president also travels with the president and gives the results of his yearly physical.

On Wednesday, Conley was seen departing the White House with Trump, who was returning to his Florida home. 

Both O’Connor and Conley hold degrees in osteopathic medicine, one of the two degrees in the United States with which physicians can practice medicine. 

O’Connor completed his Medical Degree at the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1992 and residency training at The Mountainside Hospital in Montclair, New Jersey.

Biden's doctor replaces Dr. Sean Conley, who was criticized for giving conflicting information about Trump's condition when Trump was battling COVID-19

Biden’s doctor replaces Dr. Sean Conley, who was criticized for giving conflicting information about Trump’s condition when Trump was battling COVID-19

The White House physician travels with the president as Dr. Sean Conley is seen doing in October 2020 during the presidential campaign

The White House physician travels with the president as Dr. Sean Conley is seen doing in October 2020 during the presidential campaign

President Trump named Dr. Sean Conley White House physician in 2018

President Trump named Dr. Sean Conley White House physician in 2018

Conley took on the role of White House physician in 2018 after the-then physician, Dr. Ronny Jackson, was nominated to be secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Jackson had to withdraw from consideration over concerns about his workplace behavior. He is now a congressman from Texas. 

The White House has employed regular physicians since at least 1898, when President William McKinley hired a Navy physician, Presley Rixey.