Watchdog: Ex-White House doctor Ronny Jackson harassed subordinates, drank on duty

Former White House physician Ronny Jackson
(Image credit: Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images)

After interviewing 79 witnesses and reviewing numerous documents, the Defense Department inspector general has found that Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), when he was physician to the president, made inappropriate comments about a female subordinate and drank alcohol while on trips with the president, violating policy. CNN obtained a copy of the report on Tuesday, a day before its expected release.

Jackson, who served as the top White House doctor during the Obama and Trump administrations, was elected in November to represent Texas' 13th Congressional District, and is on a House Armed Services subcommittee. The investigation into his conduct began in 2018, and the report says that the probe was "limited in scope and unproductive" because former President Donald Trump's White House counsel demanded he be present during all interviews with White House Medical Unit employees.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.