A U.S. Navy Sailor attempted to access President Joe Biden's medical logs earlier this year, a new report found.
On Tuesday, CBS News reported that a spokesperson for the U.S. Navy confirmed the incident and attempted to access Biden's medical history records through the Genesis Medical Health System. According to CBS News, the sailor, who was not identified by the Navy, attempted to access the records three times in February but was unsuccessful in finding the president's information.
"He did not pull up the right Joe Biden," a U.S. official speaking on the condition of anonymity told CBS News.
The U.S. Navy also confirmed the incident in a statement to Newsweek on Tuesday.
"The record the Sailor accessed was not the electronic record of the President of the United States. The MHS Genesis system is a secure health system and at no time was the President's personal information compromised," Tim Hawkins, a U.S. Navy Commander, told Newsweek.
The context:
In recent weeks, Biden's age, 81, and mental acuity have faced questions following his performance in the presidential debate against former President Donald Trump. Biden is gearing up his campaign for a second term in the White House and some have called on him to step aside following the debate.
What we know:
In a statement to Newsweek the U.S. Navy said, "On February 26, 2024, Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Fort Belvoir was notified of an unauthorized access to medical records by an active-duty service member.
"A Sailor assigned to NMRTC Fort Belvoir searched the name 'Joseph Biden' in MHS Genesis, the Military Health System's electronic health record, out of curiosity. A co-worker reported the Sailor's breach of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) opened an investigation, which concluded on April 24, 2024. The record the Sailor accessed was not the electronic record of the President of the United States. The MHS Genesis system is a secure health system and at no time was the President's personal information compromised," the statement to Newsweek said.
Views:
Amid questions on his health and a run for a second term in the White House, Biden has said he will not drop out of the race.
On Monday, the Associated Press reported that Biden sent a letter to congressional Democrats saying, "The question of how to move forward has been well-aired for over a week now. And it's time for it to end."
During a recent interview with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos, Biden chalked up his performance during the debate against Trump as "a bad episode. No indication of any serious condition. I was exhausted."
What's next:
CBS News reported that the specific sailor received administrative discipline following the incident. It is unclear if any further action will be taken.
Newsweek reached out to the White House via email for comment.
Update 07/09/24 2:06 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
Update 07/09/24 2:42 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information and to include a statement from the U.S. Navy.
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