Trump taps Ronny Jackson for promotion amid investigation into allegations of misconduct

President Trump has re-nominated White House doctor Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson to be promoted to two-star admiral amid the Pentagon’s ongoing investigation into Jackson regarding alleged misconduct. 

The White House sent a letter to the Senate on Jan. 15 offering Jackson’s promotion for consideration, The Washington Post reported Saturday.

The letter came amid an ongoing investigation opened by the Pentagon’s top watchdog, the Defense Department’s Office of Inspector General, into allegations that surfaced after Trump nominated Jackson to become Veterans Affairs secretary.

Jackson faces a series of allegations including drinking on the job, overprescribing medications and creating a hostile work environment.{mosads}

Jackson has denied any wrongdoing.

Bruce Anderson, a spokesman for the Office of Inspector General, confirmed to the Post that the investigation is still ongoing.

It is unclear if the Senate Armed Services Committee will act on Jackson’s new two-star general promotion during the ongoing probe, the newspaper noted.

“We don’t comment on pending nominations, ongoing investigations, or in this case both,” Chip Unruh, a spokesman for the committee’s ranking Democrat, Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), told the Post.

Lt. Christina Sears, a Navy spokeswoman, told the Post that the Navy originally omitted Jackson’s name for the promotion last year prior to Trump’s nomination of Jackson to the Veterans Affairs post.

Task & Purpose first reported the re-submission of Jackson’s nomination on Friday.

The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment. 

Jackson withdrew his nomination for Veterans Affairs secretary late last April amid the allegations. Trump fiercely defended Jackson against the allegations, calling him “one of the finest men I’ve ever met.” 

He is no longer serving as Trump’s personal physician, but he remains a Navy physician assigned to the White House. Navy Cmdr. Sean Conley now serves as physician to the president.

Jackson has served as a White House physician since 2006 and was promoted by former President Obama in 2013 to become the physician to the president.