Vice President Mike Pence's physician has resigned days after it was reported she privately complained Navy Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson may have violated privacy protections for Karen Pence.
Dr. Jennifer Pena was a physician in the White House Medical Unit, which Jackson led prior to being nominated to run the Department of Veterans Affairs, a nomination he ultimately withdrew last week.
"The vice president's office was informed today by the White House Medical Unit of the resignation. Physicians assigned to the vice president report to the White House Medical Unit and thus any resignation would go entirely through the Medical Unit, not the vice president's office," Alyssa Farah, the vice president's press secretary, told CNN.
Jackson reportedly confronted Pena over an issue involving Karen Pence's medical records, which was detailed in three memos by Pena.
According to copies of internal documents obtained by CNN, Pence's doctor accused Jackson of overstepping his authority and inappropriately intervening in a medical situation involving the second lady as well as potentially violating federal privacy rights by briefing White House staff and disclosing details to other medical providers -- but not appropriately consulting with the vice president's physician.
The vice president's physician later wrote in a memo of feeling intimidated by an irate Jackson during a confrontation over the physician's concerns. The physician informed White House officials of being treated unprofessionally, describing a pattern of behavior from Jackson that made the physician "uncomfortable" and even consider resigning from the position.
Farah, press secretary for the vice president, said Pence's physician "brought the issue to [Pence's chief of staff], who appropriately referred the matter to the proper channels."
A White House official told CNN they felt Pena had misrepresented the extent of Jackson's actions. Jackson's defenders in the White House further said the episode was "simply a dispute between two doctors with a strained relationship and that he had acted appropriately."
Farah said Karen Pence was "grateful for the professional care she received from all White House medical personnel who resolved the matter quickly."
"She considers the matter closed and has no further comment on the situation," Farah said.