US Defence Secretary Under Fire for Hospital Secrecy
TL/DR –
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin has faced criticism after it was revealed that his deputy, Kathleen Hicks, was left unaware that he had entered intensive care until four days after his hospital admittance. This has raised questions about transparency as the US military and the Pentagon rely on the defence secretary, who sits just below the President in the chain of command. Despite the secrecy surrounding Austin’s hospital stay and the growing pressure for more information about his health, President Joe Biden has expressed his support and has no plans to remove Austin from his position.
Increased Criticism on US Defence Secretary Austin’s Hospitalisation Secrecy
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin is facing growing backlash after it was revealed that his deputy was not informed about his hospitalisation. Kathleen Hicks wasn’t informed until 4 January that Austin was in an intensive care unit (ICU), four days after he was admitted to the hospital, according to US media.
Austin, 70, resumed his full duties on Friday evening, the Pentagon confirmed. However, concerns about the secrecy of his medical situation are rising. The Defence Secretary is second in command to the president in the US military chain of command and the Pentagon’s failure to disclose Austin’s illness raises transparency issues.
For three days, senior defence officials and the White House were unaware of Austin’s hospital visit. Alarm over the hospital stay’s secrecy has been expressed by members of both parties, but the Biden administration continues to support Austin.
On Sunday, a Pentagon spokesman revealed Austin underwent an elective medical procedure on 22 December and returned home the following day. However, he began experiencing “severe pain” on the evening of 1 January and was admitted to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Washington DC, stated Air Force Maj Gen Pat Ryder.
Mr. Austin’s Current Condition and Response
Austin’s intensive care unit stay was due to medical needs, privacy, and hospital space considerations, Ryder added. While Austin has resumed full duties, he is believed to still be at Walter Reed, and officials have not disclosed his discharge date.
On Saturday, Austin stated: “I am very glad to be on the mend and look forward to returning to the Pentagon soon. I recognise I could have done a better job ensuring the public was appropriately informed. I commit to doing better.” He added, “But this is important to say: this was my medical procedure, and I take full responsibility for my decisions about disclosure.”
Increasing Scrutiny and Reactions
The failure to notify key officials within the chain of command is under increasing scrutiny. Officials told CNN that Kathleen Hicks, the Pentagon’s second-in-command, began assuming some of Austin’s responsibilities last Monday but wasn’t informed about her boss’s whereabouts until Thursday.
Republicans and senior Democrats, including some administration allies, have expressed alarm over the incident. Some Republicans have called for Austin to be sacked. Former President Donald Trump said the secretary “should be fired immediately for improper professional conduct and dereliction of duty,” while Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton called for “consequences for this shocking breakdown”.
The pressure is now on Austin to disclose more about his health problems and whether he can handle a demanding role, with the US deeply involved in two current theatres of conflict in the Middle East and Ukraine.
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