Who is Kevin O’Connor? Biden’s White House doctor faces scrutiny over health reports after Joe’s cancer diagnosis

Joe Biden’s White House doctor, Kevin O’Connor, has come under fire after the former president was diagnosed with prostate cancer. In the aftermath of the diagnosis, many are asking whether O’Connor ever did a cancer screening, or if he was part of a cover-up.

FILE – President Joe Biden speaks to the media in North Charleston, S.C., Jan. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, File)(AP)

Biden’s diagnosis was disclosed aftera “small nodule” was discovered by doctors on Biden’s prostate that “necessitated further evaluation” during a physical exam this month. “Last week, President Joe Biden was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms,” read a statement from Biden’s personal office issued Sunday, May 18. “On Friday, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone.”

“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management,” the statement added. “The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”

O’Connor is now under fire, and is being accused of covering up Biden’s physical decline. Take a look:

Who is Kevin O’Connor?

O’Connor, an American physician and retired US Army colonel, used to serve as the president’s physician under both Biden and Donald Trump. He graduated from the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his residency in family medicine at The Mountainside Hospital in Montclair, New Jersey. There, he was chief resident in 1995.

O’Connor managed Biden’s Covid-19 diagnosis in July 2022, becoming a notable name, but came under fire for not briefing the White House Press Corps directly. Instead, he issued written updates through Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer requested in July last year that O’Connor testify about Biden’s health after concerns over his performance in a presidential debate against Trump. Comer also wanted to know whether alleged business dealings involving the Biden family were influencing O’Connor’s medical evaluations of the then-president.

On March 7, 2025, Sean Barbabella replaced O’Connor.