Secretary Of Defense Lloyd Austin Kept Secret Hospitalization, Incapacitation From WH and Own Top Staffers
Biden’s Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, was apparently incapacitated for several days and failed to let anyone, including the White House or even his deputy who had to assume his duties, know he was incapable of doing his job.
The Pentagon did not tell President Joe Biden and other top officials about Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s hospitalization for three days, three U.S. officials said.National security adviser Jake Sullivan and other senior White House aides didn’t know of Austin’s Jan. 1 hospitalization until the Defense Department sent over word Jan. 4, two other U.S. officials said. Sullivan informed Biden shortly after DOD’s Thursday notification.The officials said it was highly unlikely that Austin conveyed word to Biden privately before Sullivan’s briefing. “If Jake didn’t know, no way the president knew,” one of them said. “Who would have told him of Austin’s condition if not Jake? And if someone did tell the president, Jake would’ve been his first call.”. . . . But the news of Austin’s situation came as a shock to all White House staff as they were unaware the Pentagon boss was dealing with complications following an elective medical procedure, the officials said. National Security Council staffers were surprised it took the Pentagon so long to let them know of Austin’s status. The Pentagon didn’t make the information public until Friday evening, notifying Congress about 15 minutes before releasing a public statement.“This should not have happened this way,” said one of the U.S. officials. The NSC and Pentagon declined comment.
Calls are growing not only for an explanation but for his dismissal.
Politico reports in a separate article:
Austin’s failure to inform his most senior advisers, congressional leaders and even President Joe Biden of his hospitalization last week due to complications from a medical procedure has erupted into a controversy that’s left senior White House and Pentagon officials infuriated and befuddled. Some Republicans quickly called for investigations or even for Austin to be disciplined or fired.Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. C.Q. Brown was not informed of Austin’s situation until Tuesday, the day after his hospitalization, a senior Defense Department official told POLITICO on Sunday. Even Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks, who assumed some of his duties while he was in the hospital, did not know his whereabouts until Thursday, a second senior DOD official said after CNN first reported the news.. . . . The first time Austin and Biden spoke since the secretary’s Monday hospitalization was Saturday evening, a senior administration official said, even as tensions in the Middle East have spiked and the war in Ukraine has intensified. The conversation followed reports, first from POLITICO, that the Pentagon boss waited three days to inform the White House that he was out of commission.The Pentagon says the delay in notifying senior administration officials about Austin’s hospitalization was partly due to the fact his his chief of staff was also out with her own illness at the same time.While Austin entered Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Jan. 1, DOD chief of staff Kelly Magsamen didn’t tell Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks — who has occasionally assumed the duties of her boss — or the White House of the secretary’s status until Jan. 4.“The secretary’s chief of staff was unable to make notifications before then. She made those notifications on Thursday to the deputy secretary and national security adviser,” confirmed Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, DOD’s top spokesperson.The revelation doesn’t explain the full story of the communication breakdown — or why the White House wasn’t notified. Gen. CQ Brown, the Joint Chiefs chair, was made aware of Austin’s status on Tuesday but apparently didn’t tell anyone. Austin also has other aides who could’ve informed relevant officials in Magsamen’s absence.. . . . “While we do not have a specific date for his release at this time, we will continue to provide updates on the Secretary’s status as they become available,” Ryder said.Austin’s job appears safe — at least for the moment, but pressure is growing within the administration and on Capitol Hill for someone to lose their job.“This is basic, sort of subordinate behavior, 101, and the secretary of defense was subordinate to the commander in chief and he failed,” said the second senior DOD official.
Needless to say, people have thoughts.
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