The Pentagon said Monday that the White House was kept in the dark for several days about Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's chief of staff, who came down with the flu and was admitted to an intensive care unit.
Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder updated the media on Monday in an off-camera gag, saying Austin's quiet hospitalization caused a number of concerns at the White House and the National Security Council, as Austin's chief of staff came down with the flu. He explained that it had been hidden for days. .
The spokesperson added that Austin has been released from the ICU and is in “good” condition, but remains at Walter Reed Hospital for continued treatment.
White House responds to Republican calls for Secretary Austin to resign after being hospitalized with mysterious illness
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin speaks at a press conference at the Queensland State Building during the Australia-US Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) held in Brisbane, Australia, Saturday, July 29, 2023. (Ian Waldie/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The Pentagon added Monday that Thursday's U.S. military strikes against Iranian-backed militias had been authorized before Austin's hospitalization.
Austin underwent an elective medical procedure at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Dec. 22 and experienced “severe pain” at home a few days later. Ryder told Fox News on Sunday that he was taken back to the hospital on January 1 and placed in the intensive care unit. Details revealing what elective procedures were carried out have not been made public.
The Pentagon said the White House was not informed on Dec. 22 that Mr. Austin was undergoing election processing. Hicks, who took over some of Austin's responsibilities during last month's proceedings, was also not told why. That means neither the White House nor Pentagon aides were aware of the Dec. 22 procedure and its subsequent complexities.
Defense Secretary Austin resumes duty after being kept in the dark from public appearances and spending several days in intensive care
Ryder said Monday that Austin was first taken to the hospital by ambulance last week.
The entrance to Walter Reed Medical Center on November 19, 2021 in Washington, DC. ((Photo by OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images))
Austin resumed his duties but remained at Walter Reed. The Pentagon said it has not yet been determined when he will be released.
Defense Secretary Austin has no plans to resign, the Pentagon says
The media was informed of Austin's hospital treatment on Friday, and soon President Biden, the National Security Council, and top Pentagon officials, including Austin's aide Kathleen Hicks, said the hospitalization had been kept secret for several days. The report continued.
President Joe Biden speaks during a meeting of the National Infrastructure Advisory Council in the Indian Treaty Room of the White House on Wednesday, December 13, 2023 in Washington, DC, USA. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Since then, outrage has grown, with Republican lawmakers and leaders demanding that Mr. Austin answer numerous questions about the breakdown in communication in the chain of command and even demanding that Mr. Austin resign or be fired. are doing.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Both the White House and the Pentagon said there were no plans for Mr. Austin to resign.
