Defense secretary remains hospitalized as details emerge about delays in notification, even to Biden

WASHINGTON – Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin remained in the medical institution Sunday as extra details emerged about key decision-makers, even President Joe Biden, being saved in the darkish for days that the Pentagon leader have been in the extensive care unit at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

The Pentagon’s failure to expose Austin’s hospitalization displays a surprising loss of transparency about his sickness, how critical it was once 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 standard apply with the president and different senior U.S. officers and Cabinet contributors.

A senior protection legitimate stated Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks was once no longer notified till Thursday that Austin have been hospitalized since Jan. 1. Once notified, Hicks started getting ready statements to ship to Congress and made plans to go back to Washington, the legitimate stated. Hicks was once in Puerto Rico on go away however had communications apparatus along with her to stay in touch and had already been tasked with some secretary-level tasks on Tuesday.

The Pentagon didn’t say if Hicks was once given a proof on Tuesday for why she was once assuming a few of Austin’s tasks, however transient transfers of authority don’t seem to be abnormal and the legitimate stated it’s not unusual for government to be transferred with out a detailed clarification. Hicks determined no longer to go back after she was once knowledgeable that Austin would resume complete regulate on Friday. The legitimate was once no longer approved to supply details of the switch of authority and spoke on situation of anonymity.

Biden additionally was once no longer advised of Austin’s hospitalization till he was once knowledgeable on Thursday via his nationwide safety adviser, Jake Sullivan. That’s in accordance to 3 folks with wisdom of the hospitalization who weren’t approved to talk publicly and spoke to the AP on situation of anonymity.

In a commentary issued Saturday night time, Austin took duty 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 troubles 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 due to headaches following a minor non-obligatory clinical process, his press secretary stated, as it was more and more transparent how intently the Pentagon held information about his keep at Walter Reed. In his commentary, Austin stated he’s at the mend and is having a look ahead to returning to the Pentagon quickly, however he supplied no different details about his ailment.

Sen. Roger Wicker, the top-ranking Republican at the Senate Armed Services Committee, stated the episode erodes accept as true with in the Biden management and referred to as at the division to supply lawmakers with a “complete accounting of the info instantly.”

“I am glad to hear Secretary Austin is in improved condition and I wish him a speedy recovery. However, the fact remains that the Department of Defense deliberately withheld the Secretary of Defense’s medical condition for days. That is unacceptable,” Wicker said in a statement.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken voiced support for Austin at a news conference in Qatar on Sunday.

“He is an extraordinary leader in this country, in uniform and now out of uniform. And it’s been a highlight of my service to be able to serve alongside him,” Blinken said. “And I’m very much looking forward to see him fully recovered and working side by side in the year ahead.”

The Pentagon Press Association, which represents newshounds who duvet the Defense Department, despatched a letter of protest on Friday night time, calling the extend in alerting the general public “an outrage.”

“At a time when there are rising threats to U.S. army carrier contributors in the Middle East and the U.S. is taking part in key nationwide safety roles in the wars in Israel and Ukraine, it’s specifically vital for the American public to be told about the well being standing and decision-making talent of its height protection chief,” the PPA said in its letter.

Other senior U.S. leaders have been much more transparent about hospital stays. When Attorney General Merrick Garland went in for a routine medical procedure in 2022, his office informed the public a week in advance and outlined how long he was expected to be out and when he would return to work.

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Associated Press writers Zeke Miller, Michael Balsamo and Lolita C. Baldor contributed to this document.