Members of the media, Democratic leaders and administration officials have said in recent days that the Pentagon has not notified the White House or other government agencies that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has been in an intensive care unit bed for several days. has expressed serious concern.
It was announced Tuesday that Austin had prostate cancer and had been admitted to Walter Reed Medical Center following treatment.
CNN reporters, Pentagon officials and members of Congress, including Representative Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., all weighed in on the delay in alerting government officials to Austin's predicament, saying the situation could be “better handled.” It could have been done,” he said. Heads must roll towards the Pentagon.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin undergoes surgery to treat prostate cancer during secret hospital visit
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his team have come under fire after it was reported that White House and Pentagon officials were not informed of the patient's several-day stay at Walter Reed Hospital. ((Photo credit: JUNG YEON-JE/POOL/AFP) (Photo credit: JUNG YEON-JE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images))
Controversy arose last Friday after the Pentagon announced that Austin had been hospitalized since Monday. Politico reported that the highest levels of the White House and the Pentagon were not briefed on the Secretary of Defense's situation until that Thursday.
Washington officials and members of the media were frustrated that even President Biden and senior military officials did not hear about Austin's ordeal for three days.
CNN media reporter Oren Lieberman called the Pentagon debacle “unacceptable.” “The Pentagon waited four days to announce that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was hospitalized on New Year's Day,” he told X. is unacceptable,” he wrote.
Lieberman later accused the Biden administration of having Cabinet members who engaged in such behavior. He added: “This administration has talked a lot about transparency, but it fails this test. He's a Cabinet member, he's the leader of the U.S. military. He was hospitalized at a time when he was having problems,” he added. However, the people knew nothing. ”
USA Today reporter Michael Collins and Tom Vanden Broeck said Monday how the actions of Austin and his leaders in the incident “undermine Biden's 2020 presidential campaign promise to restore transparency and trust to government.” ” published an article reporting on the issue.
The report goes on to say, “The timing of Austin's secrecy is particularly troubling for Mr. Biden, who entered the White House three years ago and is not just concerned about transparency and truth in government, but also because his administration is under the leadership of Donald Trump. “He promised to avoid the chaos of the previous presidential administration,” he added.
The Washington Post editorial board took issue with Austin's situation, publishing a column Monday night declaring that government officials “should be more accountable to the public about their health.”
“Regardless of the exact condition, we wish Mr. Austin a full and speedy recovery. We also welcome any further information. So far, we hope for transparency as all of the above unfolded in real time. There is no acceptable explanation for the lack of ,” the board wrote.
Defense Secretary Austin hospitalized due to surgical complications
He also pointed out that the fact that “no one in the White House” was aware of Austin's absence during the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East was “another mystery,” adding that Austin was “not as good a nationalist as others.” It is not central to security decision-making.” . ”
Former CNN Pentagon Correspondent barbara starr He said the lack of disclosure was a “serious strategic failure.”
“As of tonight, I see no path forward in trusting the Pentagon to be telling the truth about anything,” she wrote to X.
Democratic Party members also could not remain silent about this absence. In a recent interview with MSNBC host Jen Psaki, former House Speaker Pelosi said the U.S. government's “chain of command must be respected” and argued that Biden should have been alarmed by Austin's plight.
“I think this could have been handled better,” Pelosi said after expressing concern about Austin's health.
In a statement released this week, Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, joined committee chairman Mike Rogers (Ala.), saying, “We wish Congressman Austin a speedy recovery. We must do so while praying for the future.” There are concerns about how the disclosure of the Secretary's condition was handled. ”
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin remains hospitalized a week after suffering server pain after an elective procedure, the Pentagon announced Monday. (Ian Waldie/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The joint statement further added, “What were the medical procedures and associated complications? What is the current state of health of the Secretary? When and how was the delegation of responsibilities to the Secretary? “Some questions remain unanswered, such as why this happened.” both the president and Congress. ”
Several senior administration officials have also spoken out against the delay, including former diplomat and Obama administration official Brett Bruen.
Bruen told reporters that the debacle “must be taken care of,” adding: “This is no small misunderstanding. “It's a matter of trust that leaders are acting in a transparent manner.” ”
An unnamed Pentagon official said the situation was an “exercise in unforced error,” USA Today reported.
four other anonymous Pentagon officials told Politico They believe Austin's job is “secure,” but acknowledged the incident was “a rare blot on a solid tenure.” Another anonymous official said the fallout was likely to result in someone being fired: “Someone's got to roll their head.”
FOX News' Hannah Panlec contributed to this report.
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