Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) demands in a statement that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin explain why he did not notify President Joe Biden and the National Security Council that he had been hospitalized for more than three days. did.
“Secretary Austin quickly addressed disturbing reports that the Department of Defense did not immediately notify President Biden and the National Security Council that he was hospitalized and unable to perform his duties,” he said in a statement. There must be,” he said.
“The Secretary of Defense is a critical link in the chain of command between the president and the uniformed military, including the nuclear chain of command, when the most important decisions have to be made within minutes. If this report is true, This shocking failure must have some impact.”
Cotton serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, which oversees the Department of Defense.
FILE/Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on ending military operations in Afghanistan, Tuesday, September 28, 2021, at the Capitol in Washington. (Patrick Semanski, Pool/Associated Press)
Mr Cotton's statement came later. politiko report Mr. Austin also did not inform the National Security Council of Mr. Biden's three-day hospitalization.
Austin first disclosed his condition in a statement Friday night, at which time his publicist released a statement saying:
On the evening of January 1, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center due to complications following a recent elective medical procedure. He is recovering well and is scheduled to resume his full duties today. The Deputy Secretary of Defense was always prepared to act on behalf of the Secretary of Defense and exercise his authority as required.
The Pentagon did not say what the elective medical procedure was or what the complications were.
according to politikoAustin didn't notify the NSC until Thursday, and lawmakers didn't notify them until 15 minutes before the public was notified.
NBC News report Austin remained in the intensive care unit for four days.
among them Uproar from members of the Pentagon press corpsAustin released the following settlement statement on Saturday:
I would like to thank the wonderful doctors and nursing staff at Walter Reed Hospital for the exceptional care they provided me and the personal warmth they showed my family. I also appreciate all the help and blessings from my colleagues and friends. Charlene and I are very grateful for your support.
I am very happy that he is on the mend and looks forward to returning to the Department of Defense soon.
We also understand that the media is concerned about transparency and recognize that they could have ensured that the public was properly informed. I promise to do better.
But this is important. This is my medical practice and I am solely responsible for decisions regarding disclosure.
Biden ignored a loud question about Austin on Saturday, according to Bloomberg.
As he left church in Greenville, Delaware, Mr. Biden did not respond to a shouted question about Defense Secretary Austin.
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) January 6, 2024
Biden had a “warm conversation” with Austin on Saturday, according to NBC News.
“The president prayed for the secretary's recovery and said he looked forward to returning to the Pentagon in the near future,” a senior administration official told the outlet.
Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks, who was on a pre-scheduled vacation in Puerto Rico, reportedly assumed some duties during Austin's hospitalization.
Hicks “has maintained full communication with Pentagon staff at all times,” the official told NBC News. “She has overseen the day-to-day operations of the Department of Defense and has performed some of the day-to-day operations.”
A Pentagon spokesperson told NBC News that Austin “resumed full duty” Friday night but remained hospitalized Saturday.
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