The White House said Monday the administration will review what rules or procedures weren’t followed when Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin did not disclose his hospitalization for days to President Joe Biden and top officials at the Pentagon and the National Security Council. The Pentagon maintained its silence on why Austin was hospitalized and said he has no plans to resign.
Quick Read
- The White House is set to review the procedures that were not followed regarding the disclosure of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s hospitalization to President Joe Biden and top Pentagon and National Security Council officials.
- Austin, aged 70, was hospitalized on January 1, but this information was not made public until January 5. Biden and Jake Sullivan, the National Security Adviser, were unaware of Austin’s condition until January 4.
- The Pentagon has remained silent about the specific medical procedure Austin underwent on December 22, which led to his hospitalization and admission to intensive care at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
- Austin is now out of intensive care and in a private room, still in recovery. His prognosis is good, but his release date is uncertain. There are no plans for his resignation.
- Some authorities were transferred to Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks, but initially, the reason for this transfer was not disclosed to her.
- The Pentagon’s Chief of Staff, Kelly Magsamen, did not inform the White House due to having the flu.
- John Kirby, the National Security Council spokesman, stated that there’s an expectation in Biden’s Cabinet for any hospitalization to be communicated up the chain of command.
- The White House reiterated that Austin retains Biden’s confidence, with no plans for a change in his role as Defense Secretary.
The Associated Press has the story:
WH will review Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s lack of disclosure on his hospital stay
Newslooks- WASHINGTON (AP)
The White House said Monday the administration will review what rules or procedures weren’t followed when Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin did not disclose his hospitalization for days to President Joe Biden and top officials at the Pentagon and the National Security Council. The Pentagon maintained its silence on why Austin was hospitalized and said he has no plans to resign.
“We’ll do what’s akin to a hot wash and try to see if processes and procedures need to be changed at all or modified so that we can learn from this,” John Kirby, the National Security Council spokesman, said when asked whether Biden wanted a review of what happened.
Austin, 70, was hospitalized on Jan. 1, which the Pentagon did not disclose to the public until Friday. Biden and Jake Sullivan, the president’s national security adviser, were not aware of Austin’s condition until Thursday.
The Pentagon still has not said what procedure Austin had on Dec. 22 that eventually put him in such pain that he was taken by ambulance to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on New Year’s Day and put into intensive care.
“He was conscious, but in quite a bit of pain,” Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, told reporters on Monday.
He said Austin, who has resumed his duties, is now out of intensive care and has been moved to a private room. He remains in recovery and his prognosis is “good,” but it is not known when he will be released from the hospital. Ryder said Austin has no plans to resign.
Austin spent the evening of Jan. 1 undergoing tests and evaluation. The next day, “due to the secretary’s condition and on the basis of medical advice,” some authorities were transferred to his deputy, Kathleen Hicks, through a standard email notification that often does not provide the reason for transfer, Ryder said.
Ryder said he, Austin’s chief of staff and senior military adviser were notified of the defense secretary’s hospitalization on Jan. 2. Hicks, who was in Puerto Rico, was not told the reason for the transfer of authorities until Jan. 4.
The Pentagon has said the chief of staff, Kelly Magsamen, did not inform the White House because she had the flu.
Kirby, speaking to reporters on Air Force One as Biden traveled to South Carolina, said there is an “expectation” among members of Biden’s Cabinet that if one becomes hospitalized, “that will be notified up the chain of command.”
Still, White House officials on Monday emphasized that Austin continues to retain Biden’s confidence. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden appreciated Austin’s statement on Saturday, in which he took responsibility about the lack of transparency on his hospitalization.
“There is no plan for anything other than for Secretary Austin to stay in the job and continue the leadership that he’s been demonstrating,” Kirby said.
