Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin made an appearance Tuesday for the first time this year after he was hospitalized on January 1 for complications stemming from a surgery to treat prostate cancer in December.
Austin, 70, appeared visibly thinner since the last time he was seen publicly.
The appearance was made during a virtual meeting to discuss support for Ukraine with international counterparts. He participated from his home, where he has been convalescing since he was released from the hospital on January 15. Defense officials have not said when he might return to the Pentagon in person.
Austin began his remarks with, “As you can tell, I’m joining from home today. I’m feeling good and looking forward to being back at the Pentagon very soon. And I’m grateful for all of your warm wishes.”
Austin was not scheduled to host a press conference as he normally does after the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting, which usually takes place in Europe.
“Since he’s still at his residence, we won’t have a joint press confer- — or at this moment, right now, won’t have a joint press conference with the secretary and the chairman,” Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said during a gaggle with press on Monday.
Asked by a reporter why, if he was well enough to take part in a meeting, he was not also doing the press conference, Singh said, “He’s well enough to take part in the meeting. We’re working on when he returns back to the building to get him here in — in front of you in the [Pentagon Briefing Room].”
Singh said sending someone else to the meeting was not discussed.
Austin’s hospitalization prompted a scandal for the Biden administration after the Pentagon kept it secret from President Joe Biden, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, and Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks for four days, especially as it occurred at a time of heightened tensions in the Middle East and U.S. involvement in at least two wars in the Middle East and Ukraine. And during the four days Austin was hospitalized unbeknownst to the White House, U.S. forces conducted airstrikes against a militia leader it blamed for attacks against U.S. troops in Iraq.
The Pentagon did not inform Biden, Sullivan, and Hicks of his hospitalization until Janary 4. Austin’s chief of staff Kelly Magsamen was aware on January 2, but allegedly did not pass on word of the hospitalization because she had the flu. There was no explanation as to why she could not notify others, despite having the flu. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown was also aware of the hospitalization on January 2, but did not tell Biden, despite being his top military adviser.
Austin delegated some of his responsibilities to Hicks, who was on vacation in Puerto Rico at the time and was allegedly not aware he was in the hospital. After she learned of his location, she allegedly prepared to come back to Washington, but then decided to stay in Puerto Rico after being told Austin would assume his full responsibilities on January 5.
The Pentagon is conducting a 30-day review of notification procedures. Shortly after the Pentagon announced that review, the White House said they would do one of their own, and ordered all agencies to submit procedures for delegation of authority. The Pentagon inspector general then said they would conduct an investigation.
House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL) has also launched an investigation into the communications breakdown, and has requested that Austin appear in front of Congress to explain.
Rogers said that Austin specifically avoided answering whether he told his staff not to inform Biden or others of his hospitalization.
“Unfortunately, this leads me to believe that information is being withheld from Congress,” Rogers said in a letter to Austin.
Rogers continued:
Your unwillingness to provide candid and complete answers necessitates calling a Full Committee hearing on February 14, 2024, where the Committee expects to hear your direct testimony regarding decisions made to withhold information from the President, Congress, and the American people.
Several members of Congress — both Republican and Democrat — have called on Austin to resign.
House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-NY) was the first Republican lawmaker and House Republican leader to call for Austin to resign, and Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-PA) was the first Democrat to do so.
Biden has said he has full confidence in Austin and the Pentagon said he has no plans to resign.
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