President Trump on Saturday appointed Rear Adm. Ronny L. Jackson, his former personal physician who is under investigation by a Pentagon watchdog, as White House chief medical adviser and assistant to the president.
Adm. Jackson was serving as the president’s doctor when Mr. Trump tapped him in March 2018 to become Secretary of Veterans Affairs. The nomination was withdrawn a month later amid allegations of drinking on the job, overprescribing medication and creating a hostile work environment.
Since then, he has no longer served as the president’s personal physician, but remained on assignment at the White House. Navy Cmdr. Sean Conley is now the president’s physician.
Mr. Trump also re-nominated Adm. Jackson last month for a promotion to two-star admiral. The moves come as the Pentagon’s inspector general is investigating the alleged misconduct that caused Adm. Jackson’s nomination to the VA to be withdrawn.
Former Pentagon official Robert Wilkie is now VA secretary.
Adm. Jackson served as a White House physician since 2006, and former President Barack Obama promoted him in 2013 to become the president’s personal doctor. He oversaw Mr. Trump’s first physical exam as president in early 2018 and pronounced him in “excellent” health.
The announcement was one of dozens of appointments and promotions announced by the White House Saturday, including Office of Management and Budget chief of staff Emma Doyle as White House deputy chief of staff. In her new post, she is working closely with acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, former head of OMB.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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