Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin faced criticism from both Democrats and Republicans for the way his secret hospital stay was handled last month.
Lawmakers expressed concern over the lack of transparency and delayed notification to President Joe Biden and other senior leaders about Austin’s hospitalization for complications from prostate cancer surgery.
Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Mike Rogers, called it “totally unacceptable” that it took three days to inform the president of the United States about Austin’s condition, especially with ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Israel. Rogers and others demanded accountability for the breakdown in communication.
Austin acknowledged the failures in communication, stating that he should have promptly informed the president, his team, Congress, and the American people about his cancer diagnosis and treatment. He took full responsibility for the communication failures and apologized to Biden.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin (Credits: News Center Maine)
A newly released internal review largely absolved anyone of wrongdoing for the secrecy surrounding Austin’s hospitalization, attributing the communication failures to privacy restrictions and staff hesitancy to seek or communicate timely information about his health.
The incident has led to calls for improvements in procedures and better sharing of information when the defense secretary must transfer decision-making authorities to the deputy. The Defense Department’s inspector general is also conducting a review.
Overall, the episode has highlighted the importance of transparency and effective communication in matters involving the health of top officials, particularly in critical national security positions.
