Did Ronny Jackson take Ambien and make sexual comments on the job? Ex-WH doc says he's targeted for backing Trump
Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX), who joined the White House Medical Unit in the mid-2000s under ex-POTUS George W Bush, and served as Physician to the President from 2013 to 2018 under former leaders Barack Obama and Donald Trump, was found to have gotten drunk and been under the influence of prescription-strength sleeping medication while on job prompting concerns from his colleagues and making “sexual and denigrating” comments about female subordinates, according to Pentagon investigation papers to be released by the Department of Defense inspector general.
The papers, which stem from a year-long IG investigation into Jackson, were obtained by CNN hours before their release on Wednesday, March 3. The said investigation was launched in 2018 and examines allegations that date back to his time serving during the Obama and Trump administrations and looks into inappropriate conduct displayed by Jackson involving the use of alcohol during two incidents and used sleeping medication during an overseas trip which led to a number of people working with him to question whether he was fit enough to provide medical care for the president and other top officials. According to the report, he also failed to treat his subordinates with dignity and respect.
READ MORE
Ambien and alcohol consumption allegations
The report noted that throughout his time in both the Obama and Trump administrations, Jackson was known for his explosive temper and creating a hostile work environment. An "overwhelming majority of witnesses (56) ... who worked with RDML Jackson from 2012 through 2018 told us they personally experienced, saw, or heard about him yelling, screaming, cursing, or belittling subordinates," the report says.
"Many of these witnesses described RDML Jackson's behavior with words and phrases such as 'meltdowns,' 'yells' for no reason,' 'rages,' 'tantrums,' 'lashes out,' and 'aggressive'. These witnesses also described RDML Jackson's leadership style with terms such as 'tyrant,' 'dictator,' 'control freak,' 'hallmarks of fear and intimidation,' 'crappy manager,' and 'not a leader at all'.
Four witnesses saw Jackson become intoxicated and make inappropriate comments about a female medical subordinate during a presidential trip to Manila from April 22, 2014, to April 29, 2014, when he was working for the Obama administration. Shortly after arriving in the Philippines, Jackson began drinking in the hotel lobby, and then proceeded to get into a car with a drink in his hand "to go out on the town", one of the witnesses alleged. Another alleged that later in the evening, he could smell alcohol on Jackson's breath.
Witnesses said that Jackson dismissed the regulation forbidding him from drinking 24 hours before the president's arrival until two hours after he left as "ridiculous". He openly flouted the rules during a presidential trip to Bariloche, Argentina, in 2016. Witnesses saw Jackson drinking a beer while he was serving as the physician to the President and in charge of providing medical care for a presidential trip.
At least six medical personnel also told investigators that Jackson took Ambien on long flights while on duty for providing medical care for government officials, including the President. Ambien is typically a prescription medicine used to treat insomnia and as a result, left witnesses concerned about Jackson's ability to perform his duties. Ambien often leaves users drowsy and can compromise one's mental alertness.
'Sexual' comments to female subordinates
During the Manila trip, once Jackson was back at the hotel, one of the people witnessed Jackson "pounding" on the door of his female subordinate's room in an intoxicated state, telling her "I need you," and, "I need you to come to my room" after she opened the door.
Jackson made a comment about a female medical subordinate's breasts and buttocks during a presidential trip to Asia in April 2014, according to witnesses. "Witness 1, a medical subordinate, told us that during the Asia trip, before arriving in Manila, RDML Jackson told him a female medical subordinate (Manila Witness 2), who was also on the trip, had 'great t**s,' and 'what a nice a**,' and that RDML Jackson also told Manila Witness 1 that he would 'like to see more of her tattoos,'" the report says.
Investigation into Jackson was made difficult by Trump
An investigation into Jackson "was limited in scope and unproductive" for a period when it was launched during the Trump administration as then-White House counsel insisted on being present at all interviews of current White House Medical Unit employees, which had a "potential chilling effect" on the probe," the report noted.
"We determined that the potential chilling effect of their presence would prevent us from receiving accurate testimony," the report states, adding that for about 10 months, between October 11, 2018, and August 22, 2019, the fieldwork has to be paused as the Department of Defense inspector general and White House counsel entered into discussions whether the White House would invoke executive privilege. They ultimately decided against it.
On February 2, 2019, Trump appointed Jackson to serve as Assistant to the President and Chief Medical Advisor, a new position in the Executive Office. Jackson retired from the Navy on December 1, 2019, and on December 9, he filed to run as a Republican for Congress in Texas's 13th congressional district.
Jackson refutes allegations
In his statement to CNN on Tuesday, Jackson said that "Democrats are using this report to repeat and rehash untrue attacks on my integrity. 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 added, "My entire professional life has been defined by duty and service. I've honorably served my country in the US Navy, served patients who trusted me with their care, served three Presidents in the White House, and now I serve the people of Texas' 13th District in Congress. I have not and will not ever conduct myself in a way that undermines the sincerity with which I take my oath to my country or my constituents."
In addition, Jackson claimed that the inspector general "resurrected" old allegations against him because he refused to "turn my back on President (Donald) Trump."