The House Armed Services Committee has requested Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin appear before lawmakers next month to answer questions about why he kept his hospital stay in the dark from senior White House officials, including the president, as well as members of Congress for days.
In a letter addressed to Austin, the committee’s chair Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., asked the Pentagon chief to provide direct testimony at a full committee hearing on Feb. 14 “regarding decisions made to withhold information from the President, Congress, and the American people.”
“This is a time of immense global instability. Our country deserves reliable leadership at the Department,” Rodgers wrote. “Maintaining the most ready and lethal force possible requires that everyone in the national security community be able to rely upon the Secretary of Defense’s availability and transparency.”
Rogers’ request comes the same week Austin was released from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland following a two-week stay due to complications from a prostate cancer surgery.
The defense secretary was admitted to the hospital on New Year's Day. President Joe Biden and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan were not informed of Austin’s hospitalization until three days later, according to the White House, setting off a barrage of questions about the secretary’s decision to keep his stay quiet.
In his letter, Rodgers noted he spoke with the Pentagon chief and while Austin promised “full transparency,” the Alabama Republican said “a concerning number” of questions were left unanswered.
“Specifically, 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 hospitalization,” Rodgers wrote. “Unfortunately, this leads me to believe that information is being withheld from Congress.”
The House Armed Services Chair went on to provide a list of questions he wanted addressed by Austin, Deputy Secretary Kathleen Hicks and Austin’s Chief of Staff Kelly Magsamen. The letter requests Austin answer the listed questions and provide materials requested by Feb. 7 to allow for the committee to prepare for the hearing.
“I expect your full honesty and cooperation in this matter,” the letter stated. “Anything short of that is completely unacceptable.”
In the immediate aftermath of the news of Austin’s secretive stay, the White House firmly noted it had “no plan” for the Pentagon chief to leave his role. Biden told reporters recently that he still has confidence in his defense secretary but replied “Yes” when asked if Austin’s delay in telling him was a lapse in judgment.
The White House has consistently pointed to the fact that Austin took responsibility for the situation and the lack of communication.
White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients ordered a review of protocols in which every agency had to submit in writing its current process regarding designating an authorized delegate in the event a Cabinet official cannot fulfill his or her duties for any reason.
Austin was diagnosed with prostate cancer in December. According to the White House, the president was not made aware of the diagnosis until Jan. 9 – the same day the public was informed.
After leaving Walter Reed on Monday, the Pentagon said Austin expects to perform his duties as defense secretary from home in while recovering.