Latest news with #DomesticPolicyCouncil
The Herald Scotland
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Leavitt blasts Jill Biden over husband's health 'coverup'
"I think anybody looking again at the videos and photo evidence of Joe Biden with your own eyes and a little bit of common sense can see that this was a clear coverup," Leavitt responded. "And Jill Biden was certainly complicit in that coverup." More: Robert Hur defends characterization of Biden's memory in testimony to Congress: Recap Aides close to President Biden and his wife did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the growing calls from the Trump White House. The 82-year old Democrat announced last week that he'd been diagnosed with an "aggressive" Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Questions around the president's mental capacity reached a fevered pitch when former Special Counsel Robert Hur released a report in early 2024 about Biden mishandling classified documents after his time as vice president concluded in the Obama White House. Hur concluded that a potential criminal jury would find Biden to be a "sympathetic, well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory." Biden's performance during a June presidential debate with then-Republican nominee Donald Trump also raised questions about the Democrats' well-being, and he ultimately dropped out of the White House race in deference to then-Vice President Kamala Harris. The Trump White House's focus on Biden echoes criticism from House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer. The Kentucky Republican has asked several high-ranking Biden administration officials and his physician, Dr. Kevin O'Connor, to appear for transcribed interviews to "uncover the truth" about Biden's "mental decline and potential unauthorized use of an autopen for sweeping pardons and other executive actions. Letters seeking testimony have been sent to staffers including former senior adviser to the first lady Anthony Bernal, former Domestic Policy Council Director Neera Tanden and former deputy chief of staff Annie Tomasini. Comer said during the last Congress that the Biden White House obstructed his committee's investigation into the president's mental capacity and refused to make aides available for depositions or interviews. "The American people demand transparency and accountability now," Comer said in a statement. According to a new book, Original Sin, written by CNN's Jake Tapper and Axios's Alex Thompson, one person familiar with workings of the administration said Biden was only one of five people running the country. During her May 29 briefing at the White House, Leavitt claimed there was documentary evidence showing Jill Biden was shielding her husband from public scrutiny. "She's still lying to the American people. She still thinks the American public are so stupid that they're going to believe her lies," said Leavitt. "And frankly, it's insulting, and she needs to answer for it."
USA Today
3 days ago
- Health
- USA Today
Trump White House: Jill Biden should speak up about Joe Biden's mental health
Trump White House: Jill Biden should speak up about Joe Biden's mental health Spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said former first lady Jill Biden should address 'when she saw and what she knew' about her husband's health Show Caption Hide Caption Here's what we know now about Biden's final exit from politics President Joe Biden announced he has prostate cancer. He was already under scrutiny for his mental acuity. Here's what we know now. President Donald Trump's top spokesperson called for former first lady Jill Biden to speak up about former President Joe Biden's alleged mental decline, saying she conspired to keep her husband's health from the American people. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt's comment on May 29 - that Jill Biden should address 'when she saw and what she knew" - came in response to a reporter's question on whether the former first lady should testify to Congress about the former Democratic president's health. 'I think anybody looking again at the videos and photo evidence of Joe Biden with your own eyes and a little bit of common sense can see that this was a clear coverup,' Leavitt responded. 'And Jill Biden was certainly complicit in that coverup.' More: Robert Hur defends characterization of Biden's memory in testimony to Congress: Recap Aides close to President Biden and his wife did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the growing calls from the Trump White House. The 82-year old Democrat announced last week that he'd been diagnosed with an 'aggressive' Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Questions around the president's mental capacity reached a fevered pitch when former Special Counsel Robert Hur released a report in early 2024 about Biden mishandling classified documents after his time as vice president concluded in the Obama White House. Hur concluded that a potential criminal jury would find Biden to be a 'sympathetic, well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory." Biden's performance during a June presidential debate with then-Republican nominee Donald Trump also raised questions about the Democrats' well-being, and he ultimately dropped out of the White House race in deference to then-Vice President Kamala Harris. The Trump White House's focus on Biden echoes criticism from House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer. The Kentucky Republican has asked several high-ranking Biden administration officials and his physician, Dr. Kevin O'Connor, to appear for transcribed interviews to 'uncover the truth' about Biden's "mental decline and potential unauthorized use of an autopen for sweeping pardons and other executive actions. Letters seeking testimony have been sent to staffers including former senior adviser to the first lady Anthony Bernal, former Domestic Policy Council Director Neera Tanden and former deputy chief of staff Annie Tomasini. Comer said during the last Congress that the Biden White House obstructed his committee's investigation into the president's mental capacity and refused to make aides available for depositions or interviews. 'The American people demand transparency and accountability now,' Comer said in a statement. According to a new book, Original Sin, written by CNN's Jake Tapper and Axios's Alex Thompson, one person familiar with workings of the administration said Biden was only one of five people running the country. During her May 29 briefing at the White House, Leavitt claimed there was documentary evidence showing Jill Biden was shielding her husband from public scrutiny. 'She's still lying to the American people. She still thinks the American public are so stupid that they're going to believe her lies," said Leavitt. "And frankly, it's insulting, and she needs to answer for it.'
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Key Biden staffers asked to testify on alleged role in mental decline ‘cover-up'
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., is demanding several high-ranking staffers in former President Joe Biden's White House appear for transcribed interviews on their suspected roles working "behind the scenes" to "cover up" the former president's significant mental decline during his term. Comer, who leads the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent interview requests to four key Biden White House aides — former director of the Domestic Policy Council Neera Tanden, former assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff Annie Tomasini, former senior adviser to the first lady Anthony Bernal and former deputy director of Oval Office operations Ashley Williams. Comer said that all of these high-ranking staffers worked "behind the scenes" and "ran interference for President Biden" to avoid his worsening condition from being discovered during his time in office. Biden Aide Intimidated Reporter Investigating Former President's Mental Decline With 'Tacit Threat:' Book The chairman has also requested a transcribed interview with Biden's physician, Dr. Kevin O'Connor. Comer told Fox News last week that these "unelected bureaucrats" had an overwhelming influence over Biden and were possibly serving as "de facto" presidents in his stead. Read On The Fox News App "Today, we are calling on President Biden's physician and former White House advisors to participate in transcribed interviews so we can begin to uncover the truth," Comer said in a statement. The GOP effort comes shortly after the release of "Original Sin" by CNN host Jake Tapper and Axios reporter Alex Thompson, which claims that the Biden White House was going all out trying to control the perception of the aging president's failing health. The book exposes the cover-up of Biden's decline and his decision to run for re-election. Tapper said during an interview with Piers Morgan on Monday that what Biden's aides did to hide his condition from the public could be "even worse" than the Watergate scandal during Richard Nixon's presidency. "It is a scandal. It is without question, and maybe even worse than Watergate in some ways," said Tapper. "The only reason we invoke Watergate is just to make clear like, it's not Watergate — this is an entirely separate scandal, maybe even worse." Credibility Crisis: White House Reporters Speak Out On Whether Biden's Mental Decline Was Deliberately Hidden In his letters, Comer said that while the committee has been investigating the cover-up for nearly a year, "newfound details regarding President Biden's obvious decline demand renewed scrutiny of White House personnel actions and knowledge of relevant information over the course of the prior administration." Comer said the committee is seeking "to understand who made key decisions and exercised the powers of the executive branch during the Biden Administration." "The cover-up of President Biden's obvious mental decline is a historic scandal," he said. "The American people deserve to know when this decline began, how far it progressed, and who was making critical decisions on his behalf." Recalling the Oversight Committee's previous attempts to subpoena these staffers, Comer said that "the Biden White House blocked these individuals from providing testimony." Now, he said that "any continued obstruction will be met with swift and decisive action." If the staffers and physician do not honor his request, Comer said the "next step" will be issuing subpoenas, compelling them to testify. On Tuesday, Comer floated the possibility of also issuing subpoenas to former White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre as well as Hunter Biden and Jill Biden. "Obviously, we're interested in Jean Pierre. … We're also interested in Jill Biden and Hunter Biden," he said, adding that "if the trail leads us to the next step, which many believe would be perhaps Jill Biden and Hunter Biden, then we will go there." Fox News Digital reached out to Tanden, Tomasini, Bernal, Williams, O'Connor and Jean-Pierre for article source: Key Biden staffers asked to testify on alleged role in mental decline 'cover-up'
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Comer calls for interviews with Biden's doctor, other White House aides
Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) called for interviews of five of former President Biden's aides regarding what he described as an effort to cover up the leader's reported cognitive decline. Comer has requested transcribed statements from Biden's physician Dr. Kevin O'Connor, former Director of the Domestic Policy Council Neera Tanden and former assistants Anthony Bernal, Annie Tomasini and Ashley Williams. 'The American people deserve to know when this decline began, how far it progressed, and who was making critical decisions on his behalf,' Comer, who serves as chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, said in a Thursday statement. 'Key executive actions signed by autopen, such as sweeping pardons for the Biden Crime Family, must be examined considering President Biden's diminished capacity,' he added. Comer's call for interviews comes after his committee announced it will hold hearings about Biden's cognitive functions and autopen usage throughout his administration. A group of GOP senators on Thursday demanded that Biden officials testify about the alleged cover-up. Biden and his wife, Jill, have denied reports alleging the leader experienced a sharp cognitive decline while in office. Less than a year after leaving the Oval Office, journalists and former staffers have come forward with claims of former President Biden's mental lapses. A transcript of his two-day interview with former special counsel Robert Hur's interview was made public last year after the Biden White House blocked the Justice Department from releasing the audio recording. Hur closed his investigation into the former president's handling of classified documents, concluding that he was a 'well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.' However, newly leaked audio published by Axios showcased Biden's long pauses and lapses during the tape. After reviewing the clip, Comer said Biden wasn't capable of making decisions and became incoherent. The Kentucky lawmaker has requested to interview five of the former president's closest aides before the House committee on June 18. Biden's mental state and age have come into the spotlight in recent weeks amid the release of two high-profile books about the 2024 presidential election — 'Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again' by CNN's Jake Tapper and Axios's Alex Thompson, and 'Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House' by The Hill's Amie Parnes and NBC's Jonathan Allen. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Advertiser
22-05-2025
- Health
- The Advertiser
US govt targets food, chemicals in child health report
A commission led by US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has issued a report that says processed food, chemicals, stress and overprescription of medications and vaccines may be factors behind chronic illness in children in the United States. Kennedy said the commission's report was a "clarion call to do something with utmost urgency to end this crisis" of increasing rates of childhood obesity, diabetes, cancer, mental health disorders, allergies and neurodevelopmental disorders like autism. It did not call for specific regulatory changes or restrictions on pesticides used in farming, as some farm groups had feared, and instead said the chemicals should be further researched. It echoed previous Kennedy statements that highly processed foods and additives are health risks and that the food industry is too influential in the crafting of public health recommendations like the Dietary Guidelines. Speaking at a press conference, he said there was a consensus to prioritise what he called the ultra-processed food crisis. The report also takes aim at the US childhood vaccination schedule, saying the number of vaccines children are recommended to receive is more than in many European countries. It said the links between vaccines and chronic disease and the effects of vaccine injury should be studied. Thursday's report outlining the causes was due this week and will be followed by policy prescriptions due in August. US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in February establishing the Make America Healthy Again Commission to investigate chronic illness and deliver an action plan to fight childhood diseases. The commission is jointly run by the US Department of Health and Human Services and the White House, with Kennedy serving as its chair and the Domestic Policy Council chief as executive director. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and other cabinet members sit on it, as do federal health agency chiefs and senior White House officials. Before the report's publication, farm lobby groups had warned that criticising specific farm practices could impede collaboration on the administration's health agenda and put food production at risk. As next steps, the report called for enhanced surveillance and safety research into drugs and childhood health outcomes and clinical studies comparing whole-food to processed-food diets in children. The report says that ultra-processed foods, which it describes as industrially-manufactured food products, are associated with poor health. It cites infant formula as an ultra-processed food that is concerning, saying that parents are increasingly buying European brands. A commission led by US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has issued a report that says processed food, chemicals, stress and overprescription of medications and vaccines may be factors behind chronic illness in children in the United States. Kennedy said the commission's report was a "clarion call to do something with utmost urgency to end this crisis" of increasing rates of childhood obesity, diabetes, cancer, mental health disorders, allergies and neurodevelopmental disorders like autism. It did not call for specific regulatory changes or restrictions on pesticides used in farming, as some farm groups had feared, and instead said the chemicals should be further researched. It echoed previous Kennedy statements that highly processed foods and additives are health risks and that the food industry is too influential in the crafting of public health recommendations like the Dietary Guidelines. Speaking at a press conference, he said there was a consensus to prioritise what he called the ultra-processed food crisis. The report also takes aim at the US childhood vaccination schedule, saying the number of vaccines children are recommended to receive is more than in many European countries. It said the links between vaccines and chronic disease and the effects of vaccine injury should be studied. Thursday's report outlining the causes was due this week and will be followed by policy prescriptions due in August. US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in February establishing the Make America Healthy Again Commission to investigate chronic illness and deliver an action plan to fight childhood diseases. The commission is jointly run by the US Department of Health and Human Services and the White House, with Kennedy serving as its chair and the Domestic Policy Council chief as executive director. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and other cabinet members sit on it, as do federal health agency chiefs and senior White House officials. Before the report's publication, farm lobby groups had warned that criticising specific farm practices could impede collaboration on the administration's health agenda and put food production at risk. As next steps, the report called for enhanced surveillance and safety research into drugs and childhood health outcomes and clinical studies comparing whole-food to processed-food diets in children. The report says that ultra-processed foods, which it describes as industrially-manufactured food products, are associated with poor health. It cites infant formula as an ultra-processed food that is concerning, saying that parents are increasingly buying European brands. A commission led by US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has issued a report that says processed food, chemicals, stress and overprescription of medications and vaccines may be factors behind chronic illness in children in the United States. Kennedy said the commission's report was a "clarion call to do something with utmost urgency to end this crisis" of increasing rates of childhood obesity, diabetes, cancer, mental health disorders, allergies and neurodevelopmental disorders like autism. It did not call for specific regulatory changes or restrictions on pesticides used in farming, as some farm groups had feared, and instead said the chemicals should be further researched. It echoed previous Kennedy statements that highly processed foods and additives are health risks and that the food industry is too influential in the crafting of public health recommendations like the Dietary Guidelines. Speaking at a press conference, he said there was a consensus to prioritise what he called the ultra-processed food crisis. The report also takes aim at the US childhood vaccination schedule, saying the number of vaccines children are recommended to receive is more than in many European countries. It said the links between vaccines and chronic disease and the effects of vaccine injury should be studied. Thursday's report outlining the causes was due this week and will be followed by policy prescriptions due in August. US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in February establishing the Make America Healthy Again Commission to investigate chronic illness and deliver an action plan to fight childhood diseases. The commission is jointly run by the US Department of Health and Human Services and the White House, with Kennedy serving as its chair and the Domestic Policy Council chief as executive director. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and other cabinet members sit on it, as do federal health agency chiefs and senior White House officials. Before the report's publication, farm lobby groups had warned that criticising specific farm practices could impede collaboration on the administration's health agenda and put food production at risk. As next steps, the report called for enhanced surveillance and safety research into drugs and childhood health outcomes and clinical studies comparing whole-food to processed-food diets in children. The report says that ultra-processed foods, which it describes as industrially-manufactured food products, are associated with poor health. It cites infant formula as an ultra-processed food that is concerning, saying that parents are increasingly buying European brands. A commission led by US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has issued a report that says processed food, chemicals, stress and overprescription of medications and vaccines may be factors behind chronic illness in children in the United States. Kennedy said the commission's report was a "clarion call to do something with utmost urgency to end this crisis" of increasing rates of childhood obesity, diabetes, cancer, mental health disorders, allergies and neurodevelopmental disorders like autism. It did not call for specific regulatory changes or restrictions on pesticides used in farming, as some farm groups had feared, and instead said the chemicals should be further researched. It echoed previous Kennedy statements that highly processed foods and additives are health risks and that the food industry is too influential in the crafting of public health recommendations like the Dietary Guidelines. Speaking at a press conference, he said there was a consensus to prioritise what he called the ultra-processed food crisis. The report also takes aim at the US childhood vaccination schedule, saying the number of vaccines children are recommended to receive is more than in many European countries. It said the links between vaccines and chronic disease and the effects of vaccine injury should be studied. Thursday's report outlining the causes was due this week and will be followed by policy prescriptions due in August. US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in February establishing the Make America Healthy Again Commission to investigate chronic illness and deliver an action plan to fight childhood diseases. The commission is jointly run by the US Department of Health and Human Services and the White House, with Kennedy serving as its chair and the Domestic Policy Council chief as executive director. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and other cabinet members sit on it, as do federal health agency chiefs and senior White House officials. Before the report's publication, farm lobby groups had warned that criticising specific farm practices could impede collaboration on the administration's health agenda and put food production at risk. As next steps, the report called for enhanced surveillance and safety research into drugs and childhood health outcomes and clinical studies comparing whole-food to processed-food diets in children. The report says that ultra-processed foods, which it describes as industrially-manufactured food products, are associated with poor health. It cites infant formula as an ultra-processed food that is concerning, saying that parents are increasingly buying European brands.
