Karine Jean-Pierre Admits to Misleading Information on Biden’s Neurology Visit Amid Health Concerns

President Biden was seen by neurologist Kevin Cannard, who specializes in Parkinson’s disease, at the White House on Jan. 17, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed late Tuesday — hours after telling reporters otherwise during her regular briefing.

Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre admitted late Tuesday that President Biden has been seen by a neurologist who specializes in Parkinson’s disease. REUTERS

The clarification followed a contentious exchange the previous day, where Jean-Pierre rebuked a journalist pressing for details on Cannard’s visit. The Post initially reported The visit this past Saturday, leading to further scrutiny about whether Biden, 81, had been medically evaluated following his contentious June 27 debate performance.

Jean-Pierre addressed the issue, stating, “Because the date was not mentioned in the question, I want to be clear that the Jan. 17 meeting between [presidential physician] Dr. [Kevin] O’Connor and Dr. Cannard was for the president’s physical. It was one of the three times the president had seen Dr. Cannard, each time for his physical. The findings from each exam have been released to the public.”

Jean-Pierre had previously said that the three times Biden had seen Dr. Cannard, it was for a physical. Getty Images

Earlier Tuesday, the AP’s Seung Min Kim had inquired if Cannard’s meeting with O’Connor was related to Biden’s care, to which Jean-Pierre initially responded, “I can say that it was not.”

Records indicate Cannard visited the White House eight times over eight months, from July last year to March this year, primarily for treating military members, according to O’Connor’s letter. However, Cannard’s visits were to the White House basement clinic, not the adjacent Eisenhower Executive Office Building’s larger medical facility.

The memorandum released by the White House from President Joe Biden’s physician, Kevin C. O’Connor, to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre is photographed Monday, July 8, 2024. AP

The findings from Biden’s evaluation by Cannard were included in a physical report released by O’Connor on Feb. 28. The report detailed an “extremely detailed neurologic exam” with no findings of cerebellar or central neurological disorders such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, or ascending lateral sclerosis, nor signs of cervical myelopathy.

Jean-Pierre’s recent disclosure suggests a revision of the date for Biden’s last neurological exam amid ongoing speculation about the president’s cognitive health.

The press secretary’s correction follows intense scrutiny and criticism from the press regarding her initial statements. Last week, Jean-Pierre flatly denied that Biden had undergone any medical exam after the debate, where he appeared disoriented, making statements like “finally beat Medicare.”

Dr. Kevin Cannard who specializes in Parkinson’s disease.

Another White House spokesperson later clarified that “several days” after the debate, “the President was seen to check on his cold and was recovering well.”

During a tense briefing exchange on Monday, Jean-Pierre chastised CBS journalist Ed O’Keefe when he questioned the location of Cannard’s visits, saying, “Hold on a second. There’s no reason to go back and forth with me in this aggressive way.”

O’Keefe retorted, “Well, we’re a little miffed around here about how information has been shared with the press corps about him.”

“What are you miffed about? What are you miffed about?” Jean-Pierre exclaimed, insisting that she provides answers each time she is asked.

O’Keefe countered, “And you answer it incorrectly and then have to come back and clean it up a few days later.”

Later in the briefing, Jean-Pierre labelled the line of questioning as inappropriate, stating, “The personal attacks are not okay.”

Jean-Pierre has faced criticism from White House colleagues for being perceived as ill-prepared and lacking curiosity about major stories before briefing the press. This has led to an unsuccessful effort last fall, led by presidential adviser Anita Dunn, to persuade her to leave before the election year.

Sola Adeniji

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