Lloyd Austin

The Pentagon disclosed that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was unreachable and hospitalized due to complications following a prostate surgery in late December.

Austin was asked by the House Armed Services Committee to testify in front of the panel to describe his failure to notify government officials including President Biden of his absence. 

Representative Mike Rogers, sent a letter to Austin on January 18th asking him to testify in person during the hearing on February 14.   

“Congress must understand what happened and who made decisions to prevent the disclosure of the whereabouts of a cabinet secretary,” the letter stated.

Austin was admitted to the hospital on January first and transferred to the Intensive Care Unit on the second. The public and Congress were unaware of his health complications until January fifth. It was later discovered that the White House and President Joe Biden were not notified until January fourth. 

“I think it was sneaky that he didn’t notify the White House because if he did not have anything to hide why try to hide it,” NHS Sophomore Ana Walsh said. 

The Pentagon and Austin have been under scrutiny due to a lack of openness when they failed to notify the White House of Austin's hospitalization on New Year’s Day. 

The inquiry from Congress followed Austin's release from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center two weeks after he was admitted. 

The Pentagon said in a statement that Austin will be working remotely for a period of time before going back to The Pentagon and has full access to secure communication capabilities. 

In a 911 call released it showed that the aide who called requesting an ambulance to Austin's house asked that the ambulance be cautious and not show up with lights and sirens due to an inclination by Austin’s camp to be subtle.

“I think that it suggests mistrust within the government or workplace. If someone hides an important fact or action, the penalties that could result might be worse than if the action wasn't hidden,” NHS Sophomore Mackenzie Penrod said. 

The unreleased hospitalization has faced criticism from both President Joe Biden and several members of Congress, also evoked a review by the Pentagon's inspector general. 

The House Armed Services Committee letter was the newest in question in regards to Austin and his team’s lack of clarity with his health. Three different reviews from the White House, the Pentagon, and the Pentagon's inspector general to investigate further the notification process and if policies need to be changed, this was launched since the news of the hospitalization.

The procedure to treat Austin's prostate cancer took place on December 22, the Defense Secretary went home the day following the procedure. Complications arose from the procedure and Austin was hospitalized on January first, Walter Reed National Military Center officials said in a statement.  

Austin received a prostatectomy, where surgeons remove some or all of the prostate gland. Austin’s symptoms include nausea and abdominal, hip and leg pain along with urinary tract infection. He was transferred to an intensive care unit the next day. 

“While I always like to respect people's privacy I feel like given his very prominent position, the American people should have been made aware of where he was even if they didn't say why, but I do feel that is a separate issue,” NHS English Teacher Theresa Talluto said.