Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin made his first public appearance this year on Tuesday after being hospitalized on January 1 due to complications from prostate cancer surgery in December.
Austin, 70, looked noticeably thinner since his last public appearance.
The person appeared during a virtual meeting with international officials to discuss aid to Ukraine. He participated from his home, where he has been recuperating since childhood. released Defense officials did not say when he would return directly to the Pentagon.
Austin began his greeting by saying: “As you know, I'm joining you today from home. I'm feeling great and looking forward to returning to the Department of Defense soon. And thank you for your kind wishes.”
Austin was not scheduled to host a press conference as usual after the Ukraine Defense Liaison Group meeting, which is usually held in Europe.
“He's still in his official residence, so we're not going to have a joint press conference. Or at this point, we're not going to have a joint press conference with the secretary and the chairman,” said Sabrina Singh, deputy Pentagon spokeswoman. she said in a chat with reporters on Monday.
When asked by a reporter why he did not hold a press conference when he was healthy enough to participate, Mr. Singh replied:We're working on when he'll be able to come back into the building and let us in here – right in front of you. [Pentagon Briefing Room]”
Singh said there was no discussion of sending anyone else to the meeting.
Austin's hospitalization comes at a time of heightened tensions, particularly in the Middle East, as the Pentagon kept President Joe Biden, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, and Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks in the dark for four days. This caused a scandal for the Biden administration. And the United States was involved in at least two wars, one in the Middle East and the other in Ukraine. And during the four days that Austin was hospitalized, unbeknownst to the White House, the U.S. military conducted airstrikes against militia leaders responsible for attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq.
The Pentagon did not notify Biden, Sullivan and Hicks of their hospitalizations until January 4. Austin's chief of staff, Kelly Magsamen, knew about it on Jan. 2, but she reportedly didn't tell him he was hospitalized because he had the flu. Even though he had the flu, he had no explanation as to why he couldn't let others know. Gen. CQ Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also knew about the January 2 hospitalization, but did not tell Biden, even though he was Biden's top military adviser.
Ms. Austin delegated some of her responsibilities to Ms. Hicks, who was vacationing in Puerto Rico at the time and is said to have been unaware of her hospitalization. After learning of Austin's whereabouts, she allegedly prepared to return to Washington, but on January 5, she was told that Austin would take full responsibility, and she decided to remain in Puerto Rico.
The Department of Defense is conducting a 30-day review of its notification procedures. Shortly after the Pentagon announced its review, the White House said it would conduct its own review and ordered all agencies to submit procedures for delegation of authority. The Pentagon's inspector general later said it would conduct an investigation.
House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) has also launched an investigation into the communications failure and called on Mr. Austin to appear before Congress to explain.
Rogers specifically declined to say whether Austin had instructed his staff not to inform Biden or anyone else about his hospitalization.
“Unfortunately, this leads me to believe that information is being withheld from Congress,” Rogers said in a letter to Austin.
Mr. Rogers continued:
Because of your reluctance to provide candid and complete answers, we must convene a full Committee hearing on February 14, 2024. So the committee looks forward to hearing your first-hand testimony about the President, Congress, and the decision to withhold information from the American people.
chairman @RepMikeRogersAL sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, asking him to testify before the House Armed Services Committee regarding his failure to disclose the circumstances of his hospitalization.https://t.co/ZHBXL5kud8 pic.twitter.com/eUdFR3C2a1
— Military Republicans (@HASCRepublicans) January 18, 2024
Several Republican and Democratic lawmakers called on Mr. Austin to resign.
House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) was the first Republican lawmaker and House Republican leader to call for Austin's resignation, and Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.) was the first to do so. .
Mr. Biden said he had full confidence in Mr. Austin, and the Pentagon said he had no plans to resign.
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