(Washington) Criticism continues to rain down in the United States against Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who delayed informing the White House and Congress of his hospitalization, at a time when the country is involved in major crises, particularly in the Middle East.
Lloyd Austin, 70, was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on July 1er January due to complications related to an elective medical procedure. But the Pentagon only made the information public four days later, including to the presidency.
The secretary’s hospitalization, still ongoing, comes as the United States struggles to stem the regional consequences of the war between Israel and Hamas, which has notably triggered attacks against American forces in Iraq and Syria as well as as against commercial ships in the Red Sea.
With the Middle East in turmoil, having “the Secretary of Defense in the hospital for four days without [le président] Biden not knowing this is shocking,” lamented Ian Bremmer, president of the Eurasia Group, an analysis firm specializing in political risks.
According to him, this situation gives the president the opportunity to replace his secretary, but, for the moment, the White House continues to support him.
On December 22, Lloyd Austin underwent a medical procedure, the nature of which was not specified, and was released from the hospital the following day. He started feeling “severe pain” on 1er January and was taken by ambulance to Walter Reed, Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder told reporters Monday.
The spokesperson added that the secretary is “recovering well and in good spirits.” He is no longer in the intensive care unit” and “spoke Monday with Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in separate phone calls.”
“We do not yet have a precise date for his release from the hospital,” said Mr. Ryder.
On January 2, some powers were transferred to his deputy Kathleen Hicks, but she herself was only informed of this hospitalization two days later, the spokesperson added.
Calls for resignation
Even the United States National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, was not informed until January 4, while the powerful Congress was informed on the 5th, the day of the public announcement made by the Pentagon.
Lloyd Austin’s chief of staff was “delayed” in the notification procedure because of a “flu”, Pat Ryder explained to journalists.
“We are looking at how we can improve these notification procedures,” he added.
For his part, the spokesperson said he himself had been informed of the secretary’s hospitalization on January 2, but that he had refrained from disclosing any information before “finding out more”.
Joe Biden’s likely Republican rival in the November presidential election, Donald Trump said Lloyd Austin “should be fired immediately for inappropriate professional conduct and neglect of his duties.”
Same accusations in Congress: “It is shocking and absolutely unacceptable that the Department of Defense waited several days to inform the president, the National Security Council and the American people,” castigated Elise Stefanik, Republican elected to the House of Representatives. .
In a statement, she called for the “immediate resignation” of the secretary.
But Joe Biden’s administration rejects these calls. The president remains “completely confident” in his secretary, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre told the press.
And Lloyd Austin, who is no longer in intensive care, “does not intend to resign,” added his spokesperson Pat Ryder.
The secretary and his team will “work hard every day to earn and deserve” the “trust” of Americans, he said.
In a press release, Lloyd Austin said on Saturday that he took “full responsibility” for his decisions, committing to “do better” so that citizens were “properly informed”.