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Republican Rep. Ronny Jackson of Texas, a former White House physician, has regained his retired rank of rear admiral after the Navy reversed a 2022 demotion linked to an inspector general’s investigation.
Jackson shared a June 13 letter from Navy Secretary John Phelan stating that, following a “review of all applicable reports and references,” his retired one-star rank was reinstated. The Navy confirmed the move on Wednesday.
A spokesperson for Phelan praised Jackson’s “decades of distinguished naval service” and noted his ongoing role with the U.S. Naval Academy’s Board of Visitors.
Jackson, who retired in 2019, had been retroactively demoted after the Pentagon inspector general accused him of making “sexual and denigrating” remarks about a female subordinate, violating alcohol rules during a presidential trip, and using prescription sleeping medication that raised concerns about his ability to provide care. Jackson has denied wrongdoing, calling the probe a “political hit job.”
Jackson served in the White House Medical Unit under Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump, and became best known for his public remarks about Trump’s health. Trump later nominated Jackson to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, but he withdrew amid controversy and instead served as Trump’s chief medical adviser before being elected to Congress in 2020.
On Wednesday, Jackson celebrated the Navy’s decision with a post on X, writing: “I was, and still am, a retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral, and Joe Biden is a retired old FOOL.”
The decision follows a series of Pentagon moves viewed as favorable to Trump allies. Last week, officials said Ashli Babbitt, the Air Force veteran killed during the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, would receive military funeral honors.
Judicial Watch, a conservative watchdog group that petitioned Defense Secretary Pete Austin in July, released a letter from Air Force Undersecretary Matthew Lohmeier dated August 15. In it, Lohmeier overturned the denial issued shortly after Babbitt’s death, RSBN previously reported.
“I understand that the family’s initial request was denied by Air Force leadership in a letter dated February 9, 2021,” Lohmeier wrote. “However, after reviewing the circumstances of Ashli’s death, and considering the information that has come forward since then, I am persuaded that the previous determination was incorrect.”
Military leaders are also considering speeding up reinstatement for service members discharged over COVID-19 vaccine refusals.