President Joe Biden said Friday that it was a lapse in judgment for Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin not to inform him about his illness sooner, but emphasized that he still has confidence in him to serve as Pentagon chief.

What You Need To Know

  • President Joe Biden said Friday that it was a lapse in judgment for Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin not to inform him about his illness and hospitalization sooner

  • Biden said he still has confidence in Austin's leadership

  • Austin’s lack of disclosure has sparked outrage on both sides of the aisle, and even inspired calls for his resignation

  • White House national security council spokesman John Kirby said that Austin was “fully engaged” from the hospital as the U.S. conducted strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen

When asked by reporters during a visit to small businesses in Allentown, Pa., if he still has confidence in Secretary Austin, the president replied, “I do.” But when a reporter followed up and asked if Austin had a lapse in judgment, Biden said, “Yes.”

Officials with Walter Reed National Military Medical Center revealed earlier this week that Austin was admitted to the hospital in late December for a procedure to treat prostate cancer. Austin suffered complications following the procedure, “including nausea with severe abdominal, hip, and leg pain,” and was treated for a urinary tract infection, which required hospitalization and admittance to intensive care. The president and senior administration officials were not told about his hospitalization until days later.

Austin’s lack of disclosure has sparked outrage on both sides of the aisle, and even inspired calls for his resignation.

The president’s comments come as Austin is still undergoing treatment for complications related to surgery to treat prostate cancer, and one day after the Pentagon’s inspector general said that it is launching a probe into the circumstances of his hospitalization.

They also come less than a day after the U.S. engaged in retaliatory strikes against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Speaking to reporters earlier Friday, White House national security council spokesman John Kirby said that Austin was “fully engaged” from the hospital as the military operation got underway.

“It was seamless,” Kirby said. “His participation was no different than it would be on any other given day, except that he was briefing the president on options and engaged in the discussions from the hospital, but he was fully engaged as he would be in any other event”

The White House and Pentagon said Monday they will review Austin's lack of disclosure about his hospital stay. Before news of Austin’s diagnosis was public, White House chief of staff Jeff Zients announced a review of protocols about Cabinet officials designating an authorized delegate in the event they cannot fulfill their duties for any reason.