Vice President Pence’s physician reportedly raised concerns within the White House last fall over Adm. Ronny Jackson’s behavior, months before he was nominated and ultimately withdrew as President Trump’s pick for Veterans Affairs (VA) secretary.
CNN reported Monday that Pence’s doctor wrote three memos detailing instances last year in which Jackson is said to have acted unprofessionally.
In one case, Pence’s doctor wrote that Jackson inappropriately intervened in a medical situation involving second lady Karen Pence, and may have violated her privacy rights.
{mosads}The White House downplayed the incident to CNN as a dispute between two doctors.
The vice president’s doctor reportedly wrote a separate memo about an instance in which the physician felt an angry Jackson had treated the doctor unprofessionally, making the doctor uncomfortable.
Alyssa Farah, press secretary for the vice president, told CNN that Pence’s physician brought the issue to the vice president’s chief of staff, who “appropriately referred the matter to the proper channels.”
CNN reported that additional memos indicate chief of staff John Kelly was made aware of the incidents.
Jackson withdrew his nomination last week as VA secretary amid allegations he drank on the job, overprescribed medication and fostered a hostile work environment.
Jackson and the White House have denied those allegations.
Multiple reports on Sunday indicated Jackson will no longer serve as Trump’s physician, though the White House on Monday pushed back on such reports.
White House spokesman Raj Shah said in a statement that Jackson is “currently on active duty” and is still “assigned to the White House.”