Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin Faces Scrutiny over Hospitalization Notification Failure
In a recent turn of events, the House Armed Services Committee has called on Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to testify before the panel, shedding light on his failure to notify key government leaders, including President Joe Biden, of his recent hospitalization. The committee, led by Republican chair Rep. Mike Rogers, has requested Austin’s presence at a full committee hearing scheduled for February 14.
Rogers emphasized the committee’s expectation to hear Austin’s direct testimony regarding the decisions made to withhold information from the President, Congress, and the American people. “Congress must understand what happened and who made decisions to prevent the disclosure of the whereabouts of a cabinet secretary,” Rogers wrote in a letter addressed to Austin.
The controversy surrounding Austin and the Pentagon arose when it was revealed that they had failed to notify the White House or Congress about Austin’s hospitalization on New Year’s Day. Austin had undergone a prostate cancer procedure in December, and his hospitalization was due to complications arising from the surgery. The lack of transparency from the Pentagon regarding this matter has drawn significant criticism from President Biden and several members of Congress.
Following Austin’s release from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Monday, where he had been admitted for two weeks, the Pentagon announced that he would be working remotely for a period of time before returning to the Pentagon. The statement also assured that Austin would have full access to secure communications capabilities during this period.
New information related to Austin’s hospitalization has come to light recently. It has been revealed that an aide had called 911 on New Year’s Day, requesting an ambulance to Austin’s house. The aide specifically asked for the ambulance to be discreet and not to arrive with lights and sirens, indicating a desire for subtlety from Austin’s camp.
The undisclosed hospitalization and the subsequent lack of transparency have prompted a review by the Pentagon’s inspector general. President Biden and Congress have expressed their concerns regarding this issue, leading to three separate reviews being initiated by the White House, the Pentagon, and the Pentagon’s inspector general to examine the notification process and assess whether policies need to be changed.
The timeline of events surrounding Austin’s hospitalization adds to the controversy. While Austin was admitted to the hospital on January 1 and transferred to the intensive care unit on January 2, the public was unaware of his health complications until January 5. It was further discovered that the White House had not been notified until January 4, and Congress was only informed on January 5.
The letter from the House Armed Services Committee represents the latest development in the ongoing questioning of Austin and his team regarding their initial lack of transparency concerning his health. As the investigations unfold, it remains to be seen how this incident will impact Austin’s role as Defense Secretary and whether any policy changes will be implemented to prevent similar notification failures in the future.
