Biden saw neurologist during physicals
Following his bad debate performance, many are asking questions about the president's brain
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
What next?
President Joe Biden has seen a neurologist three times during his presidency, but not "outside of his annual physical," presidential physician Dr. Kevin O'Connor said in a letter the White House released Monday night.
Who said what
Visitor logs show that Dr. Kevin Cannard, a longtime neurologist at Walter Reed who has researched Parkinson's disease, visited the White House eight times since July 2023. Weekend reports about those visits, in the aftermath of Biden's bad debate performance, prompted aggressive questioning about the president's health during Monday's White House press briefing.
O'Connor said Cannard's most recent "extremely detailed neurological exam" of Biden in January showed no findings consistent with a "stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's," or any other cerebellar or central neurological disorders. He said Cannard, the on-call White House neurologist since 2012, mostly visits the building to care for staff, not the president.
Cannard visited the White House more than a dozen times during the Obama and Trump administrations, The Associated Press said. "As the unit's neurology consultant, Cannard often administered Botox shots to treat migraines, particularly to high-level Trump officials," The Washington Post said.
What next?
The White House said there has been "no reason to conduct further examination" since Biden's annual check-up in February, The New York Times said.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
6 of the world’s most accessible destinationsThe Week Recommends Experience all of Berlin, Singapore and Sydney
-
How the FCC’s ‘equal time’ rule worksIn the Spotlight The law is at the heart of the Colbert-CBS conflict
-
What is the endgame in the DHS shutdown?Today’s Big Question Democrats want to rein in ICE’s immigration crackdown
-
Witkoff and Kushner tackle Ukraine, Iran in GenevaSpeed Read Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held negotiations aimed at securing a nuclear deal with Iran and an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine
-
Pentagon spokesperson forced out as DHS’s resignsSpeed Read Senior military adviser Col. David Butler was fired by Pete Hegseth and Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin is resigning
-
Judge orders Washington slavery exhibit restoredSpeed Read The Trump administration took down displays about slavery at the President’s House Site in Philadelphia
-
Hyatt chair joins growing list of Epstein files losersSpeed Read Thomas Pritzker stepped down as executive chair of the Hyatt Hotels Corporation over his ties with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell
-
Judge blocks Hegseth from punishing Kelly over videoSpeed Read Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed for the senator to be demoted over a video in which he reminds military officials they should refuse illegal orders
-
Trump’s EPA kills legal basis for federal climate policySpeed Read The government’s authority to regulate several planet-warming pollutants has been repealed
-
House votes to end Trump’s Canada tariffsSpeed Read Six Republicans joined with Democrats to repeal the president’s tariffs
-
Bondi, Democrats clash over Epstein in hearingSpeed Read Attorney General Pam Bondi ignored survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and demanded that Democrats apologize to Trump
