GOP congressman who served as Trump's doctor is under investigation by ethics committee

Ronny Jackson rose to national prominence after making far-fetched claims about the then-president’s health

Then-White House physician Dr. Ronny Jackson speaks to reporters during the daily press briefing at the White House, in Washington in January 2018 (Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Ronny Jackson, the former White House Medical Unit boss turned Republican congressman, is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee.

In a statement, Ethics Committee Chairman Ted Deutch and Ranking Member Jackie Walorski said the panel had taken up a matter referred to it in December of last year, and would announce a “course of action” by 23 May. They did not say what Mr Jackson had been accused of.

Mr Jackson, a Navy veteran who retired at the rank of Rear Admiral, served as chief White House physician during the presidencies of Barack Obama and Donald Trump, but rose to prominence during the latter’s term due to his outrageous statements about Mr Trump’s health, including a session in the White House briefing room during which he claimed Mr Trump had “great genes” and could live to 200 years of age despite being clinically obese.

His performance gained him Mr Trump’s favour, and the then-president repaid him by nominating him to become Secretary of Veterans Affairs in 2018.

But Mr Jackson was forced to withdraw his name from consideration after reporters discovered that he’d engaged in unprofessional conduct, including allegations that he’d prescribed medicine without authorisation to persons in presidential traveling parties.

Instead, he ran for Congress as a Republican, and won election to represent Texas’ 13th district.

Since assuming that office last year, he has gained some attention for his outrageous statements about Covid-19 and his onetime patient, President Joe Biden.

Mr Jackson frequently alleges without evidence that the president is “senile” and has accused Democrats of weaponising new variants of the coronavirus to assist in this year’s midterm elections.