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US Defence chief Llyod Austin urged to testify before Congress on 'secret' hospitalisation
Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin got discharged on Monday, January 15 after two-week of hospitalisation due to complications related to prostate cancer surgery.
Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, who was recently discharged from Walter Reed Medical Center, has been urged to testify before the House Committee on Armed Services on his recent 'secret' hospitalisation.
Austin got discharged on Monday, January 15 after two-week of hospitalisation due to complications related to prostate cancer surgery.
He has been asked to testify in Congress on February 14. "The committee expects to hear your direct testimony regarding decisions made to withhold information from the President, Congress, and the American people," the House Armed Services Committee Chair, Mike Rogers (R-Ohio), said in a letter to the US Defence Secretary.
Earlier, Rogers spoke with Austin about his hospitalisation, but some key concerns raised by the committee chair were not addressed.
“I am alarmed you refused to answer whether you instructed your staff to not inform the President of the United States or anyone else of your hospitalisation. Unfortunately, this leads me to believe that information is being withheld from Congress. Congress must understand what happened and who made decisions to prevent the disclosure of the whereabouts of a cabinet secretary," the letter reads.
Rogers has sought Austin’s full cooperation regarding the hearing, asserting, “Anything short of that is completely unacceptable.”
“In the meantime, it is my expectation that you promptly answer all outstanding questions so the Committee can review the necessary information in preparation for the upcoming hearing,” the letter added.
Lloyd Austin thanks hospital staff after discharge, set to work remotely
After his discharge, Austin expressed gratitude to the staff of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, adding that he is eager to fully recover and return to the Pentagon as early as possible.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon in a statement said that Austin has “full access to required secure communications capabilities as he works remotely.”
Pentagon's internal watchdog to review Austin’s ‘secret’ hospitalisation
Last week, the Pentagon's internal watchdog said it will review the secrecy surrounding Austin’s hospitalisation and why the Defence Department waited days to inform the White House that he had transferred authority to his deputy.
His failure to disclose his hospitalisation was sharply criticised by members of both political parties and even led to some calls for his resignation. President Joe Biden and senior administration officials were not told about Austin’s hospitalisation until Jan. 4, and the US Defence Secretary kept his cancer diagnosis secret until January 9.
Austin (70) was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Dec. 22 and underwent surgery to treat the cancer, which was detected earlier in the month during a routine screening. He developed an infection a week later and was hospitalised on January 1 and admitted to intensive care.
