Trump’s ex-doctor demoted by Navy for inappropriate behavior in White House

The former White House physician turned Congressman, Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX), faced demotion by the U.S. Navy subsequent to an inspector general’s investigation, which found him engaging in inappropriate conduct during his tenure under former President Donald Trump.

Reported by the Washington Post, the Navy downgraded Jackson’s rank from retired admiral to captain, a move with significant financial implications and social ramifications within military circles. The Pentagon inspector general’s report cited Jackson for fostering a hostile work environment and for consuming alcohol and drugs while fulfilling his duties as the president’s physician.

According to Lt. Cmdr. Joe Keiley, a Navy spokesperson, the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s findings did not align with the Navy’s leadership standards, leading to administrative action by the Secretary of the Navy in July 2022.

Although Keiley declined to elaborate on Jackson’s current status or acknowledge the demotion, the Republican congressman persists in identifying himself as a retired rear admiral, a title also used by former President Trump and other Republicans.

Katherine L. Kuzminski, a military policy expert at the Center for a New American Security, emphasized that while others might mistakenly refer to Jackson as ‘Admiral’ indefinitely, he should avoid making that error himself.

A Navy official confirmed that the service branch took unspecified measures against Jackson following the 2021 inspector general report, which highlighted instances of him belittling subordinates, making derogatory remarks towards a female subordinate, and consuming Ambien and alcohol with colleagues while on duty.

Kuzminski noted that the annual pension payment for a retired one-star admiral, as Jackson was upon retiring in December 2019, exceeds that of a retired captain by over $15,000, a gap likely to widen over time due to periodic rate increases.