Ronny Jackson, the former White House physician who now serves as a Republican congressman from Texas, was demoted from rear admiral to captain in July 2022 following a Pentagon inspector general’s report that substantiated allegations of his inappropriate conduct while serving as a White House physician. Despite this, Jackson has continued to refer to himself with the higher rank, a move that has raised questions about the accuracy and integrity of his public image.
The report, released by the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General in March 2021, presented a troubling picture of Jackson’s tenure at the White House. It found that Jackson berated subordinates, made sexual and denigrating comments about a female subordinate, and consumed alcohol during presidential trips, which is strictly prohibited given the responsibilities of providing medical care to U.S. officials.
Jackson’s demotion is not only a mark of personal disgrace but also carries a significant financial impact. According to Katherine L. Kuzminski, a military policy expert, the difference in annual pension between a retired one-star admiral and a retired captain is over $15,000, a gap that is likely to widen over time with military pay rate adjustments.
In his memoir “Holding the Line,” released in July 2022, Jackson dismissed the inspector general’s report as politically motivated. Jackson wrote, “If I had retired and not gotten into politics, this investigation would have never gone anywhere. This was happening because I am a perceived threat to the Biden administration and because a few political appointees in the Department of Defense want to make a name for themselves.” The memoir did not address his demotion by the Navy.
Mr. Jackson, a Republican congressman from Texas and a vocal supporter of former President Donald J. Trump, whom he previously cared for in the White House, continues to identify himself as a retired U.S. Navy rear admiral on his official congressional website.
A former defense official and a current military official have disclosed that Mr. Jackson was downgraded from rear admiral to captain during the summer of 2022. Both officials requested anonymity when discussing personnel issues. Efforts to reach Mr. Jackson for his response were unsuccessful. His attorney, Stanley Woodward, chose not to provide any comments.
Jackson, who first arrived at the White House medical unit in 2006, served under Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump, and was known for his complimentary round-the-clock care to numerous White House officials and their families. His approach won him favor within both administrations, leading to his promotion to one-star admiral in October 2016 and his attempted nomination to become the secretary of veterans affairs in 2018, which ultimately failed due to emerging allegations. But he remained in Trump’s White House as a medical adviser before eventually running for a US congressional seat in Texas.
Relevant articles:
– Navy demoted Ronny Jackson after probe into White House behavior, Washington Post, Mar 7, 2024
– Rep. Ronny Jackson was demoted by Navy following investigation into his time as White House physician, CBS News, Mar 7, 2024
– Trump physician Ronny Jackson reportedly demoted after Pentagon probe – Houston Public Media, Houston Public Media, Mar 8, 2024
– Ronny Jackson: Navy demoted congressman in 2022 after scathing watchdog report, CNN, Mar 7, 2024