CNN
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When the deputy defense secretary began taking over some of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s responsibilities on January 2, she didn’t even know it was because Austin had been hospitalized, two defense officials told CNN. Ta.
Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks, No. 2 at the Pentagon, remained in the dark about Austin’s true whereabouts until Thursday, three days after the secretary was admitted to Walter Reed Medical Center due to complications from elective surgery. He was one of the executives. CNN previously reported that even the president didn’t know about Austin’s hospitalization until the third day of his stay.
The revelation that not even Hicks knew Austin was hospitalized raises questions swirling within the administration about why his status was kept secret not only from the public but also from senior national security officials and the White House. It is certain that it will further improve.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday he was unaware that Austin had been hospitalized. Blinken said at a news conference in Qatar that the two had talked over the weekend before Austin was hospitalized on New Year’s Day, but when asked what his notification policy would be if Austin were hospitalized, he declined to say “hypothetically.” Not involved. Blinken called Austin an “extraordinary leader” and wished him a full recovery.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday he was unaware that Austin had been hospitalized. Blinken said at a news conference in Qatar that the two had talked over the weekend before Austin was hospitalized on New Year’s Day, but when asked what his notification policy would be if Austin were hospitalized, he declined to say “hypothetically.” Not involved.
Blinken called Austin an “extraordinary leader” and wished him a full recovery.
Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told CNN on Sunday that “certain operational responsibilities that require secure communication capabilities at all times” were transferred to Hicks on January 2, the day after Austin was admitted to Walter Reed. He said he did. Throughout last week, Hicks was authorized to make “day-to-day operational and administrative decisions” for the Pentagon and assist the president.
But defense officials said Hicks, who was vacationing in Puerto Rico at the time, was not informed of Austin’s hospitalization until the afternoon of Jan. 4. Rider told CNN that it is “not unusual” for secretaries to transfer certain responsibilities without providing a specific reason why such a move is necessary.
At this point, Hicks began making emergency plans to return to Washington, D.C., on Friday, officials said. However, Austin was expected to return to his regular duties from the hospital on Friday, so he decided to remain in Puerto Rico to ensure continuity of communication.
“There are all these people around the secretary all the time, managing her and helping her on a daily basis, but no one even had the luxury of notifying the White House?” one Pentagon official said. Ta. “I’m surprised no one has used the word ‘cover-up’ yet.”
Ryder told CNN on Sunday that Austin “has no intention of resigning” over the incident, which left many Pentagon officials deeply frustrated and wondering why they were kept in the dark. I have doubts. The White House said President Joe Biden did not know that Austin was hospitalized until three days after the secretary checked into Walter Reed Medical Center on Jan. 1, but he still does not want Austin to remain in the hospital. He claims to trust him. The White House said the two had a “friendly” conversation Saturday night in which Biden told Austin he was looking forward to returning to work.
White House officials said Sunday that the nature of Mr. Austin’s illness remains a mystery to many senior White House aides, but the situation could affect Mr. Biden’s favorable view of the defense secretary. He added that his gender was low.
Officials could not recall any previous arguments between the two men, but said the president respected Austin’s professionalism. Austin also had a personal friendship with Biden’s late son Beau. While the two were deployed to Iraq, they regularly attended Catholic Mass.
A person familiar with Mr. Biden’s thinking said that Mr. Biden has long held the view that even public officials should be allowed privacy in their personal matters, and that lack of disclosure has also led to a lack of disclosure. Regardless, Austin said he may have some sympathy for his current situation. He embarrassed many involved.
The Pentagon’s delay in publicizing the situation is even more notable when compared to other cabinet ministers’ responses to health issues. For example, when Attorney General Merrick Garland underwent surgery in 2022, the Justice Department provided detailed information regarding the surgery and the diagnosis it required, including how long the surgery would last and how long Mr. Garland would remain in the hospital afterward. issued a detailed statement.
Then, in August 2022, Austin released a statement on the day he tested positive for the coronavirus, detailing his last contact with the president and his symptoms.
Questions also remain as to why Austin and his team tried so hard to keep his condition a secret. Austin’s chief of staff, Kelly Magsamen, emailed military leaders on Friday about Austin’s condition, four days after his hospitalization and hours before the Pentagon announced his hospitalization to the public, officials said. Stated.
Dan Glazier, senior defense policy researcher at the Government Oversight Project, said it was “puzzling” that the Pentagon kept the issue private for several days.
“This is the basics of public relations 101,” Glazier told CNN. “Especially in this position, we should have made it clear from the beginning that this happened and that this is the person who is responsible.”
Glazier likened the situation to the Pentagon’s use of the Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) label, which prevents documents that are neither classified nor top secret from becoming public.
“It’s this cauldron of opacity,” Glazier said. “That’s the opposite of transparency.”
Last Tuesday, the day after Mr. Austin was hospitalized, some Pentagon officials were told that the secretary would be on leave for a week. But that’s far from the whole story, a defense official told CNN. Many assumed he was working from home or simply on a sabbatical.
In fact, Austin was in Walter Reed’s intensive care unit suffering from complications after surgery, defense officials said.
It is unclear whether Austin was previously unconscious or incapacitated. But defense officials said he was alert and was following a military attack that killed a pro-Iranian militia commander in Baghdad on Jan. 4. The strike was also pre-approved before Austin was hospitalized on January 1, CNN previously reported.
Defense officials said Austin remained hospitalized as of Saturday evening. But he issued a statement praising the “amazing” staff at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for the care he received and saying he was “on the mend” and looked forward to returning to the Pentagon.
In a statement, he acknowledged “the media’s concerns about transparency” and said he was “committed to doing better.”
This story has been updated with additional information.
