NEW: Biden Aide Accused Of Running His White House Forced To Testify

For weeks, House Republicans have been turning up the heat on the Biden administration—and now, one of the First Lady’s closest aides is officially on the hot seat.

Anthony Bernal, a longtime senior advisor to former First Lady Jill Biden and often referred to as her “work husband,” has been subpoenaed to testify before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on July 16 at 10:00 a.m., according to an official subpoena obtained Thursday. The hearing will take place at 2247 Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, D.C.

Bernal had previously agreed to voluntarily testify behind closed doors today, June 26, as part of the committee’s ongoing investigation into former President Joe Biden’s cognitive health and use of the autopen for signing executive documents. But after the White House Counsel’s Office waived executive privilege related to his testimony, Bernal abruptly pulled out of the scheduled appearance, drawing fierce criticism from Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY).

“Let this subpoena send a clear message to Biden’s inner circle: We will stop at nothing to expose the truth about Joe Biden’s decline & unauthorized use of the autopen,” Comer wrote Thursday.

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Comer’s office added that Bernal’s testimony is considered “critical” to the committee’s probe, especially after revelations that former White House domestic policy advisor Neera Tanden admitted to having limited interaction with Biden and said she was often asked to process autopen approvals without direct contact with the president.

Bernal was the second Biden administration figure to be subpoenaed by the committee, which is investigating what it calls a “pattern of concealment” surrounding Biden’s physical and mental state. The investigation gained steam earlier this month after insiders claimed the former president had delegated a concerning number of high-level responsibilities to unelected aides, and that Bernal was one of the few people consistently interfacing with the First Lady and senior West Wing staff.

Comer has said that the decision to subpoena Bernal followed failed attempts to negotiate a voluntary interview. He revealed that Bernal’s legal team initially requested a three-week delay, which the committee was willing to accommodate. But once executive privilege was lifted, Bernal’s side stopped responding.

The July 16 deposition is expected to be transcribed and conducted behind closed doors, with further public hearings possible depending on the outcome. GOP committee members are especially interested in whether Bernal coordinated executive action signings, played a role in shielding Biden from scrutiny, or had knowledge of decisions made during moments when the president was allegedly “not present.”

Though the White House has denied any concerns about the former president’s mental acuity, the committee’s latest actions suggest that House Republicans aren’t buying it—and they’re ready to haul in anyone they believe is protecting the president from public accountability.