The ongoing fallout from former President Joe Biden’s cancer diagnosis entered its third day, with renewed scrutiny focused on his personal physician and longtime confidant, Dr. Kevin O’Connor. The White House confirmed over the weekend that Biden, 82, had been diagnosed with an advanced and aggressive form of prostate cancer, raising fresh questions about the transparency surrounding his health during his presidency.
Dr. O’Connor, who served as Biden’s primary physician during his term in the White House, is not only a seasoned medical professional but also a close personal associate of the Biden family. His long-standing relationship with the Bidens, according to critics, may have complicated the objectivity expected in formal disclosures about the president’s medical condition. Republican lawmakers and commentators have raised concerns over whether O’Connor’s familial ties could have influenced how and when health information was shared with the public.
O’Connor’s background includes more than two decades in the U.S. Army, where he rose to the rank of colonel and served in the White House Medical Unit during the George W. Bush administration. He remained in that position under President Barack Obama, where he became the primary physician to then-Vice President Biden. What began as a temporary six-month assignment extended into a full eight-year term, which O’Connor described in a 2023 interview as “unexpected but rewarding.”
Following his retirement from active public service in 2017, O’Connor continued to work with the Biden family, particularly during the illness and eventual death of Biden’s son, Beau, from brain cancer. Reports indicate that O’Connor privately advised the family on treatment options and remained in close contact with them during the ordeal. When Biden won the presidency in 2020, O’Connor returned to the White House as the official physician.
O’Connor has also had professional ties to James Biden, the president’s brother. The two were involved in a venture to develop a rural hospital, a business arrangement that later collapsed amid fraud allegations investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The venture ultimately ended in bankruptcy.
Meet Kevin O’Connor Bidens W.H Doctor, who signed off on Bidens physical condition
He’s guilty of Treason for not informing the country of Joe Bidens mental acuity and advanced Stage 4 prostate cancer
What do you think his punishment should be pic.twitter.com/scUnbVRDPf
— @Chicago1Ray 🇺🇸 (@Chicago1Ray) May 19, 2025
Recent attention has centered around the timeline of Biden’s diagnosis and the decision-making behind medical disclosures made earlier in the year. In February 2024, O’Connor publicly declared the president “fit for duty,” a statement that has since been called into question following the cancer announcement and reports of deteriorating health. Critics have cited the aggressive nature of the cancer and the fact that it had already metastasized to the bone, suggesting the illness may have been present and progressing well before the February statement.
Congressman Ronny Jackson (R-TX), a former White House physician himself, expressed skepticism about O’Connor’s impartiality. “He’s part of the Biden family,” Jackson said, implying that O’Connor may have been motivated to shield the president from damaging revelations, even at the expense of professional norms.
Former President Donald Trump also weighed in on the situation, calling for greater scrutiny of O’Connor’s role. At a campaign stop Monday, Trump referenced the February assessment and questioned how such a diagnosis could be missed or withheld. “If it’s the same doctor that said there’s nothing wrong there, and that’s being proven to be a very sad situation,” Trump said. “Someone is going to have to speak to his doctor.”
This is the Most Dangerous Cover-up in the History of the Presidency:
Last summer, White House Physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor swore to the American people that Joe Biden was “completely fit for the Presidency” — no issues, nothing to see.
Now we learn Biden has “advanced”prostate… pic.twitter.com/JryrV92wXv
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) May 18, 2025
Trump also suggested that the timeline of the diagnosis and its severity raised red flags. “It takes a long time to get to that situation,” he said. “It’s the same doctor that said that Joe was cognitively fine. There was nothing wrong with him.”
As debate continues, White House officials have not commented further on the circumstances surrounding Biden’s diagnosis or the future role of Dr. O’Connor. The administration has maintained that all proper medical protocols were followed.
