A recent report from the Pentagon's watchdog has revealed that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin failed to inform Congress and the White House about his health issues as required. The report highlighted communication failures during Austin's hospitalization for prostate cancer treatment and subsequent complications last year.
The inspector general's report criticized Austin for keeping his hospitalization secret, even from President Joe Biden, for several days. It noted that Austin's desire for privacy likely influenced his staff's decision not to disclose his condition further.
The report described text messages and calls among staff expressing concerns about notifying relevant parties about Austin's health situation. There were conflicting recollections of events, but no major revelations emerged from the findings.
Staff members mentioned that Austin instructed them to keep his hospitalization quiet, while Austin denied giving such instructions. This lack of transparency led to delays in informing key personnel about his worsening condition, including his transfer to the Surgical Intensive Care Unit.
Despite transferring decision-making authorities to Deputy Secretary Kathleen Hicks during his hospitalization, Austin did not inform her or the White House about the reasons behind the transfer. This lack of communication angered the White House and drew criticism from members of Congress.
In a subsequent press conference, Austin took responsibility for the situation, admitting that he should have handled it differently and apologizing for the lack of transparency. The incident prompted calls for procedural changes to improve communication and transparency in similar situations in the future.
Overall, the report highlighted the need for better guidelines for transferring authorities during health incidents and emphasized the importance of timely reporting to senior leaders. The White House also implemented changes in federal guidelines following the incident to prevent similar communication breakdowns in the future.
