US Defense Secretary Hospitalized, Deputy Knows Nothing

A CNN report said the second-in-command at the US Department of Defense was not informed that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had been hospitalized on January 1.

Specifically, two US defense officials revealed that although Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks had to take over some of Mr. Austin's duties on January 2, she did not know it was because he was hospitalized.

Two sources added that Ms. Hicks was vacationing in Puerto Rico at the time and was not informed of Mr. Austin's condition until the afternoon of January 4.

Mr. Austin at the annual security meeting with South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik at the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul, South Korea on November 13, 2023.

In addition, Reuters said that many other high-ranking US figures also did not know about the above information.

Reuters on January 6 quoted an unnamed US official as saying that President Joe Biden did not learn about his subordinate's illness until January 4. The Pentagon announced on January 7 that Mr. Austin spoke to Mr. Biden on January 6.

Austin's position is second only to the president in the US military's chain of command. His duties require him to be available immediately to respond to any form of national security crisis.

A Pentagon spokesman confirmed that Mr Austin remains hospitalized and is “recovering well”, noting that he has resumed full duties since the evening of January 5.

The Pentagon also said Mr. Austin had been in contact with Ms. Hicks, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Charles Q. Brown and senior staff but did not say when he would be released from the hospital.

Politico previously reported that Mr. Brown did not learn about his superior’s hospitalization until January 2. A Pentagon spokesman declined to comment on when Ms. Hicks and Mr. Brown received the information.

At a press conference on January 7, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said he was also unaware of Mr. Austin's medical problems. "I look forward to seeing him fully recover and working together," he said.

It is not yet clear how important the duties Mr Austin assigned to Ms Hicks were, or whether he was involved in any major decisions during his absence.

Several US Republicans, including former Vice President Mike Pence, have criticized Mr Austin.

"I believe the American people have a right to know about his health condition, about the reasons for it," Mr. Pence told CNN, describing Mr. Austin's actions as "dereliction of duty."

Former Vice President Pence said he wished Mr Austin well but called the lack of transparency "completely unacceptable".

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