Junior Sailor Busted Trying to Look Up Biden’s Health Record

Scott Olson/Getty
Scott Olson/Getty

A junior sailor tried to illegally access President Joe Biden’s health records in an internal database, the Navy revealed Tuesday, as scrutiny on the president’s mental and physical fitness reached fever pitch.

The unidentified sailor was looking through the military’s electronic health records on Feb. 23 when he searched “Joseph Biden” three times, ABC News reported.

Three days later, the Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Fort Belvoir was notified of “an unauthorized access to medical records by an active-duty service member,” the U.S. Navy said in a statement. “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 sailor was punished but was not discharged, and didn’t manage to get his hands on any records, the Navy said.

Biden underwent a scheduled physical two days later which yielded “no findings” consistent with cognitive disorders. Last month, however, he mumbled and stumbled his way through the presidential debate against Donald Trump, prompting a growing cadre of Democratic lawmakers, powerbrokers and donors to call on him to bow out of the race.

The White House has declined to offer much information on Biden’s health beyond his routine physicals, leaving speculation and conspiracies to proliferate online.

While the sailor didn’t obtain any information in February, Tuesday’s revelation is only likely to add fuel to the fire.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now.

Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now.