An Inspector General report released on Wednesday shed light on the secrecy surrounding Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin's hospitalizations in late 2023 and early 2024, raising concerns about national security risks. The report, which examined over 56 million pieces of data and included interviews with 44 witnesses, focused on three periods when Austin was hospitalized for procedures related to prostate cancer.
During two procedures in January 2024, Austin was moderately sedated and advised not to engage in mentally demanding activities for 24 hours. However, he failed to transfer his authorities or inform key officials about his condition promptly. In a separate procedure, Austin was in a severe condition but delayed transferring his authorities to Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks.
The report emphasized the importance of seamless government operations and continuity of leadership for national security. While no adverse consequences were found in DoD operations, the report highlighted unnecessary risks to national defense due to the lack of transparency and communication.
Austin admitted to mishandling the situation, attributing his desire for privacy to being a private person. He acknowledged the need to inform the president, his team, and the public about his condition, taking full responsibility for the lapse in communication.
The report revealed Austin's extreme privacy concerns, including requesting no lights and sirens during his ambulance transport and discouraging questions about his condition. His chief of staff expressed frustration over the lack of information and secrecy surrounding Austin's hospitalizations.
The Inspector General made 20 recommendations to enhance decision-making processes and information flow within the DoD and across agencies in similar situations, aiming to prevent such lapses in the future.
