WASHINGTON – The White House insisted Friday that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will remain in his post despite not telling anyone, including President Biden, that he was hospitalized for several days last week.
“We will all learn from this,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told MSNBC. “But the Secretary of Defense will remain in office. The President has full confidence in him.”
Hours later, in response to questions from reporters in Pennsylvania, Mr. Biden himself answered “I do,” when asked if he still trusted Mr. Austin, but said that Mr. When asked whether the failure to do so showed poor judgment, he answered “yes.” disease.
The secret hospitalization of Ms. Austin, 70, shocked all of Washington and sparked outrage on Capitol Hill — but the shenanigans were a sign that, before last week's scandal, most U.S. officials saw it as an asset. This is consistent with the army general's private personality.
Who is in charge?
Austin was rushed to Walter Reed National Military Hospital on the night of January 1st with severe pain from a urinary tract infection, a complication of the prostatectomy he underwent on December 22nd. He did not report his hospitalization to the White House until afterward. 4.
Instead, he quietly transferred that authority to Deputy Secretary Kathleen Hicks on January 2, without telling her or any other Pentagon colleagues the reasons behind it. Hicks, who was vacationing in Puerto Rico at the time, didn't learn that Austin had been hospitalized for another two days.
The Pentagon announced Austin's hospitalization in a Friday news dump on the evening of Jan. 5, but the Secretary of Defense kept the full details of his hospitalization quiet until Tuesday of this week, when Walter Reed doctors and others announced that it was news to the Pentagon and both countries. issued a statement. White House.
While some other senior military officials sought the spotlight and bleachers, Austin, who retired from the Army in 2016 after 41 years of service, was happy to put his head down and do his job. He is a member of the president's own family and is keen to avoid any signs of insubordination elsewhere.
As expected, Austin's private nature continued after he took over the Pentagon. He briefed reporters at the Pentagon only a few times during his tenure, including the disastrous U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, the nearly two-year war in Ukraine, and the recent outbreak of war in the Middle East. included.
Mr. Austin's absence has long frustrated the Pentagon press corps, but calls for the corps to be in the briefing room have grown louder since Mr. Austin's hospitalization.
“[Austin] “The Pentagon spokesperson, Air Force Brigadier General, has promised to do a better job of transparency, and we will certainly honor his request to be here in the briefing room to explain.” Gen. Pat Ryder said Tuesday in response to reporters seeking a court appearance. “He has no intention of resigning.”
With Austin, Biden could trust that he would get fair reviews and suggestions in private, without public defiance. Even after the president ignored Mr. Austin's advice and chose to withdraw all U.S. troops from Kabul in August 2021, the secretary of defense faithfully carried out that order, clearing opposition to the move within the Pentagon. suppressed.
But after last week's public humiliation, some officials say Austin's biggest asset has become a liability.
“Rules for you”'
Behind closed doors, some Austin supporters have expressed dismay at Austin's actions, or lack thereof, and have said that someone with his level of authority and decades of military experience should not be as respectful of the military chain of command. Some people have difficulty understanding why they would avoid obvious responsibilities.
In the military, officers closely monitor the troops under their command. Military members often need to ask their leaders for permission to travel, even outside of duty, in case an emergency arises and they are needed immediately.
Mr Austin's 40 years of experience have meant his attempts to cover up his illness have particularly irritated members of the public, and he said last week's nightmare was “not for me, but for you.” It was a typical case of the “rule of thumb''.
Although some close to Austin believe his silence about prostate cancer is due to his reclusive personality and deep obsession with privacy, he has agreed to serve in Biden's Cabinet. Some say they waived that right when they did so.
There is also speculation that Mr. Austin feared disclosing his illness would lead to calls for his removal from office, a theory that Mr. Biden continues to hold over as defense secretary despite the recent crisis. This is contradictory because it continues to depend on
Mr. Austin has spent the past week running the Pentagon from his hospital bed, receiving regular briefings from the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and combatant commanders, performing administrative tasks and even conducting a military mission against the Yemen-based Houthis on Thursday. He also participated in the attack plan. A fighter plane that terrorizes the Red Sea.
“It was seamless. His participation was no different than any other day, other than briefing the president on options and participating in discussions from the hospital,” Kirby told reporters Friday. .
Another senior defense official involved in the attack agreed, saying Austin's absence from the Pentagon “doesn't appear to be a problem” for the operation to continue.
“I have to tell you, I've been involved in this case for a long time. I couldn't say where General Austin was, whether he was in his office on the second floor or somewhere else.” officials said.
Regardless of Austin's intentions, he almost certainly never intended to bring about the kind of reaction he received. Separate to calls for the members' resignations, the House Armed Services Committee has launched an investigation into the matter, and Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.) on Tuesday withdrew articles of impeachment citing the scandal.
“The pattern of misinformation and lies he provided to the American people is a serious threat to national security and is unacceptable,” Rosendale said at the time. “It's time to make a change.”
