House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) on Tuesday launched a formal congressional investigation into Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s hospitalization, demanding a “detailed account” of his stay and how he communicated his absence to Pentagon and Biden administration officials.
The Alabama Republican called Austin’s efforts to conceal his Jan. 1 admission to Walter Reed National Army Medical Center after complications related to December surgery to treat prostate cancer “outrageous,” in a letter to the 70-year-old defense secretary, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks and Austin Chief of Staff Kelly Magsamen.
“With wars in Ukraine and Israel, the idea that the White House and even your own Deputy do not understand your situation is clearly unacceptable,” Rogers scolded the defense secretary in his letter.
“Everything from ongoing counter-terrorism operations to nuclear command and control depends on a clear understanding of the Secretary’s decision-making capacity,” the lawmaker said. “The Department is a robust institution, and it is designed to function under attack from our enemies, but it is not designed for a Secretary who hides incompetence.”
House Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL) is launching an investigation into Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s secret hospitalization. Rod Lamkey – CNP / MEGA
Rogers demanded that Austin, who is still hospitalized but working from Walter Reed, detail “any medical sedation or general anesthesia” that occurred between January 1 and the time he resumed his duties and that he provide Congress with “an accounting of all official actions taken or approved ” by him while hospitalized.
The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee is also seeking a “detailed account” of Austin’s efforts to hand over his responsibilities to Hicks, who was on vacation in Puerto Rico at the time, and information on whether the deputy defense secretary “took any action” while he was filling the top officer position. Pentagon.
Austin was hospitalized on January 1 after suffering complications related to surgery in December to treat prostate cancer. AFP via Getty Images
In addition, Rogers requested all written communications regarding Austin’s “health, medical procedures, location, operational capability to lead the Department” made between the defense secretary and his staff while he was hospitalized and communications between Pentagon administration officials and Biden at the time.
Austin underwent an early prostatectomy on Dec. 22 and experienced “severe abdominal, hip and leg pain” from a urinary tract infection late on New Year’s Day, his doctor announced Tuesday.
As of Tuesday, the secretary told President Biden, his subordinates and the public about his cancer diagnosis.
Austin did not tell Biden, his staff or the public about his cancer diagnosis until Tuesday. AP
Magsamen announced Tuesday that the DoD’s director of administration and management will “immediately lead a review” of the incident and “evaluate the process and procedures through which the deputy defense secretary was told he should carry out” the retired general’s functions.
A Pentagon spokesman, however, blamed Magsamen for the delayed notification of Austin’s condition, saying on Monday that the message was not sent because the chief of staff – responsible for such communications – was ill with the flu at the time.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
