A Pentagon Mystery: Why Was Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s Hospital Stay Kept Secret For Days?

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senior Biden administration leaders, high Pentagon officers and members of Congress had been unaware for days that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had been hospitalized since Monday, U.S. officers stated Saturday, as questions swirled about his situation and the secrecy surrounding it.

The Pentagon didn’t inform the White House National Security Council or high adviser Jake Sullivan of Austin’s hospitalization at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, till Thursday, in response to two administration officers. The officers weren’t licensed to talk publicly concerning the matter and spoke to the AP on situation of anonymity.

The Pentagon’s failure to reveal Austin’s hospitalization for days displays a shocking lack of transparency about his sickness, how severe it was and when he could also be launched. Such secrecy, at a time when the United States is juggling myriad nationwide safety crises, runs counter to regular observe with the president and different senior U.S. officers and Cabinet members.

In an announcement issued Saturday night, Austin took accountability for the delays in notification.

“I recognize I could have done a better job ensuring the public was appropriately informed. I commit to doing better,” stated Austin, acknowledging the considerations about transparency. “But this is important to say: this was my medical procedure, and I take full responsibility for my decisions about disclosure.”

Austin, 70, remained hospitalized as a consequence of problems following a minor elective medical process, his press secretary stated, because it turned more and more clear how carefully the Pentagon held details about his keep at Walter Reed. In his assertion, Austin stated he’s on the mend and is wanting ahead to returning to the Pentagon quickly, however he offered no different particulars about his ailment.

Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder stated the White House and the Joint Chiefs of Staff had been notified about Austin’s hospitalization, however he wouldn’t affirm when that discover occurred.

A lot of U.S. officers stated Saturday that lots of the most senior Pentagon service leaders had been unaware till Friday that Austin was within the hospital. The officers spoke on situation of anonymity to debate personal conversations. Politico was the primary to report the White House discovered of his situation on Thursday.

Ryder stated members of Congress had been advised late Friday afternoon, and different officers stated lawmakers had been knowledgeable after 5 p.m. It was not clear when key senior members of Austin’s employees had been advised, however throughout the Pentagon, many employees came upon when the division launched an announcement about Austin’s hospital keep simply minutes after 5 p.m. Many believed Austin was out on trip for the week.

Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks, who took over when Austin was hospitalized, was additionally away. A U.S. official stated she had a communications setup together with her in Puerto Rico that allowed her to do the job whereas Austin, who spent 41 years within the army and retired as a four-star Army common in 2016, was incapacitated.

Ryder stated Saturday that Austin is recovering effectively and resumed his full duties Friday night from his hospital mattress. Asked why the hospital keep was saved secret for thus lengthy, Ryder stated on Friday that it was an “evolving situation,” and that as a consequence of privateness and medical points, the Pentagon didn’t make Austin’s absence public. Ryder declined to supply another particulars about Austin’s medical process or well being.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, known as on Austin to clarify the reported delay in notifying officers.

“The Secretary of Defense is the key link in the chain of command between the president and the uniformed military, including the nuclear chain of command, when the weightiest of decisions must be made in minutes,” stated Cotton in an announcement, including that if Austin didn’t instantly inform the White House, “there must be consequences for this shocking breakdown.”

The White House has refused to say when or the way it had been notified of Austin’s hospitalization. It referred inquiries to the Pentagon.

The Pentagon Press Association, which represents media members who cowl the Defense Department, despatched a letter of protest on Friday night to Ryder and Chris Meagher, the assistant protection secretary for public affairs.

“The fact that he has been at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for four days and the Pentagon is only now alerting the public late on a Friday evening is an outrage,” the PPA stated in its letter. “At a time when there are growing threats to U.S. military service members in the Middle East and the U.S. is playing key national security roles in the wars in Israel and Ukraine, it is particularly critical for the American public to be informed about the health status and decision-making ability of its top defense leader.”

Other senior U.S. leaders have been rather more clear about hospital stays. When Attorney General Merrick Garland went in for a routine medical process in 2022, his workplace knowledgeable the general public per week prematurely and outlined how lengthy he was anticipated to be out and when he would return to work.

Austin’s hospitalization comes as Iranian-backed militias have repeatedly launched drones, missiles and rockets at bases the place U.S. troops are stationed in Iraq and Syria, main the Biden administration to strike again on a variety of events. Those strikes typically contain delicate, top-level discussions and choices by Austin and different key army leaders.

The U.S. can be the chief organizer behind a brand new worldwide maritime coalition utilizing ships and different property to patrol the southern Red Sea to discourage persistent assaults on industrial vessels by Houthi militants in Yemen.

In addition, the administration, significantly Austin, has been on the forefront of the hassle to produce weapons and coaching to Ukraine, and he’s additionally been speaking steadily with the Israelis on their warfare in opposition to Hamas.

___

Associated Press writers Colleen Long, Lisa Mascaro, Tara Copp and Farnoush Amiri contributed to this report.