(Washington) Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin remained in the hospital Sunday as more details were revealed about key decision-makers, even President Joe Biden, who remained in the dark for days as The Pentagon chief was in the intensive care unit at Walter Reed Military Medical Center.
The Pentagon’s failure to disclose Mr. Austin’s hospitalization reflects a glaring lack of transparency about his illness, its severity and when he might be discharged. Such secrecy, at a time when the United States is grappling with myriad national security crises, runs counter to normal practices with the president and other senior U.S. officials and cabinet members.
A senior Defense official said Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks was only informed on Thursday that Mr. Austin had been hospitalized since 1er January. Once informed, Mme Hicks began preparing statements to send to Congress and planned to return to Washington, the official said. Mme Hicks was on leave in Puerto Rico, but she had communications equipment with her to stay in touch and she had already been assigned some secretary duties on Tuesday.
The Pentagon did not specify whether Mme Hicks had received an explanation Tuesday for why she was assuming some of Mr. Austin’s duties, but temporary transfers of authority are not unusual and the official clarified that it was not uncommon for authorities to be transferred without detailed explanation. Mme Hicks decided not to return after being informed that Mr. Austin would regain full control on Friday. The official was not authorized to provide details about the transfer of authority and spoke on condition of anonymity.
President Biden was also unaware of Mr. Austin’s hospitalization until informed on Thursday by his national security adviser, Jake Sullivan. That’s according to three people with knowledge of the hospitalization who were not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
In a statement released Saturday evening, Mr. Austin took responsibility for the notification delays.
“I recognize that I could have done a better job ensuring that the public was properly informed. I am committed to doing better,” Austin said, acknowledging concerns about transparency. “But it’s important to say: This was my medical procedure and I take full responsibility for my decisions regarding disclosure. »
Mr. Austin, 70, remained hospitalized due to complications following a minor medical procedure, his press secretary disclosed, as it became increasingly clear how much information the Pentagon was withholding his time at Walter Reed. In his statement, Mr. Austin argued that he was on the mend and looked forward to returning to the Pentagon soon, but he provided no further details about his illness.
A requested report
Sen. Roger Wicker, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the episode eroded confidence in the Biden administration, and called on the department to immediately provide lawmakers with a “full accounting of the facts.” “.
“I am happy to hear that Secretary Austin is doing better and wish him a speedy recovery. The fact remains that the Department of Defense deliberately hid the state of health of the Secretary of Defense for several days. This is unacceptable,” Mr. Wicker said in a statement.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed his support for Mr. Austin at a news conference in Qatar on Sunday.
“He is an extraordinary leader in this country, in uniform and now out of uniform. And it was a highlight of my service to be able to serve alongside him, Mr. Blinken said. And I really look forward to seeing him fully recovered and working side by side over the coming year. »
The Pentagon Journalists Association, which represents journalists who cover the Defense Department, sent a letter of protest Friday evening, calling the delay in alerting the public a “scandal.”
“At a time when the U.S. military in the Middle East is increasingly under threat and the United States plays a key national security role in the wars in Israel and Ukraine, it is especially critical that the public American be informed of the state of health of its military and the decision-making capacity of its highest defense leader,” the association said in its letter.
Other senior U.S. leaders have been much more transparent about hospital stays. When Attorney General Merrick Garland underwent a routine medical procedure in 2022, his office notified the public a week in advance and indicated how long he was expected to be out and when he would return to work.