Pentagon issues report revealing ex-White House doctor ‘belittled’ subordinates, violated alcohol policies

A blistering report from the Pentagon’s inspector general issued Tuesday found that Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas) abused his subordinates, drank alcohol on the job and overall contributed to a “negative work environment” while serving as White House physician.

Jackson, who served as the White House’s top doctor under both former presidents Trump and Obama, was found in the report to have drank alcohol in two separate situations while he was on duty and charged with providing medical care to government officials, though it was unclear from the report whether Jackson provided medical care after imbibing the drinks.

“We concluded that [Rear Admiral] RDML Jackson engaged in inappropriate conduct involving the use of alcohol during two incidents. Both incidents occurred during presidential trips while RDML Jackson was in charge of providing medical care and treatment to U.S. Government officials,” read the report, which added that the international trips in question occurred in 2014 and 2016.

The report did not substantiate some of the allegations Jackson faces — including a charge that he had crashed a government vehicle while drunk — but did result in multiple witnesses testifying that during a 2014 trip Jackson made sexual comments about a female subordinate while heavily intoxicated.

“Jackson kept pointing to the female subordinate and said, ‘No, no. We need her. We need her. Get her. We need her,’ ” the report reads, while the female subordinate in question told investigators in response, “When a drunk man comes to your room and they say, ‘I need you,’ your mind goes to the worst.” At least one other witness observed the scene and corroborated her testimony.

Jackson explicitly denied the report’s findings in a statement to The Hill, though the inspector general report noted that he was given the opportunity to comment before the report was issue and declined.

“Three years ago I was the subject of a political hit job because I stood with President Trump. Today, a Department of Defense Inspector General report has resurrected those same false allegations from my years with the Obama Administration because I have refused to turn my back on President Trump,” Jackson told The Hill. “Democrats are using this report to repeat and rehash untrue attacks on my integrity, so I want to be clear.”

“I’m proud of the work environment I fostered under three different Presidents of both parties; I take my professional responsibility with respect to prescription drug practices seriously; and I flat out reject any allegation that I consumed alcohol while on duty,” he continued. “I also categorically deny any implication that I was in any way sexually inappropriate at work, outside of work, or anywhere with any member of my staff or anyone else. That is not me and what is alleged did not happen.”