While the White House and the public were left in the dark about Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin‘s hospital stay last week, his interim replacement also was reportedly not told why she was assuming his duties.
Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks took over some of Austin’s duties when he was hospitalized last week on Jan. 2 but was not told he was in the hospital until Jan. 4, according to a report from CNN citing two defense officials.
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Hicks was vacationing in Puerto Rico when Austin was hospitalized and, at one point, admitted to the intensive care unit due to complications from an “elective medical procedure.” Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told the outlet that it is “not uncommon” for some of the Defense Secretary’s duties to be transferred without a reason for the transfer being given.
Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Charles Q. Brown was also not told of Lloyd’s hospitalization until Tuesday, according to Politico, despite the hospital stay beginning on Monday.
The White House was reportedly in the dark on Lloyd’s hospitalization until Thursday, while the public was not informed of it until a release was issued by the Pentagon late Friday.
In a statement to the Washington Examiner, Ryder said that Austin is “still in the hospital and recovering well,” having resumed his duties on Friday evening. He also said there is no updates as of Sunday for when Austin will be discharged.
Uproar over the lack of transparency on the Defense Secretary’s situation, amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, has come from lawmakers and the press alike.
Austin acknowledged he “could have done a better job” about disclosing his absence in a statement released on Saturday.
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“I also understand the media concerns about transparency and I recognize I could have done a better job ensuring the public was appropriately informed. I commit to doing better,” Austin said. “But this is important to say: this was my medical procedure, and I take full responsibility for my decisions about disclosure.”
When asked about the report on Hicks not knowing about Austin’s hospitalization until Thursday, a spokesperson for the Department of Defense told the Washington Examiner they did not have a comment on “internal Department communications.”
