Deputy Defense Secretary Unaware of Austin's Hospitalization Upon Assuming Duties
When the Deputy Secretary of Defense took on Secretary Austin's duties on January 2, she remained unaware that his hospitalization was the reason behind it, according to two defense officials informed CNN
On January 2, when Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks started taking on some of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin's duties, she was unaware that he had been hospitalized, according to two defense officials who spoke to CNN. It was revealed that Austin had been at Walter Reed medical center for complications from a surgery three days after he had been admitted, and even the president was not informed of his hospitalization until three days into his stay.
Hicks took on undisclosed operational responsibilities after Austin was hospitalized, raising concerns within the administration about the secrecy surrounding his condition and its impact on national security. Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder stated that Hicks made routine operational decisions for the Pentagon and provided support to the president while Austin was admitted to Walter Reed.
Hicks, who was vacationing in Puerto Rico at the time, was not informed of Austins hospitalization until the afternoon of January 4, according to defense officials. Ryder told CNN that it is not unusual for the secretary to delegate certain responsibilities without providing a specific reason for doing so.
Upon receiving the news, Hicks started making plans to return to Washington, DC on Friday, but decided to stay in Puerto Rico to ensure continuity of communications when she learned that Austin was expected to return to his full duties on Friday, despite being in the hospital.
One Pentagon official expressed surprise that with all the people around the secretary, no one even informed the White House. The White House confirms that President Joe Biden did not know about Austin's hospitalization until three days later, but still has full confidence in him.
Austin and his team made great efforts to keep his condition a secret, leaving it unclear why they did so. Kelly Magsamen, Austins chief of staff, sent an email to top military officials on Friday, four days into Austins hospital stay, just hours before the Pentagon announced the hospitalization to the public. Pentagon officials were initially informed that Austin would be on leave for the week when he entered the hospital on Tuesday, but the full extent of his condition was not disclosed, leaving many to assume he was working from home or on an extended vacation.
Austin was actually at the intensive care unit at Walter Reed, dealing with complications from his surgery, according to defense officials. It's unknown if he was ever unconscious or unable to function, but he was reportedly aware and monitoring a military strike on January 4 in Baghdad that resulted in the death of a pro-Iran militia commander. This strike had been pre-approved before Austin had been hospitalized on January 1, as previously stated by CNN.
Austin is still in the hospital as of Saturday evening, according to a defense official. However, he has praised the exceptional staff at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for their care and mentioned that he is "on the mend" and eager to go back to the Pentagon. He also addressed concerns about transparency in the media and promised to improve.
