Staff Reports
Secretary of State Lloyd Austin has once again found himself in the hospital, but this time the Pentagon wasted no time in sharing the news. The Department of Defense made sure to inform Austin’s superiors in the White House as well as his direct command that he had been admitted to the hospital on Sunday afternoon. This is quite a change from the previous incident, when Austin was unconscious for days after a procedure to treat prostate cancer and no one in the Biden administration had a clue. Who knows who was really in control of the military during that time?
Austin, who is 70 years old, was taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center’s critical care unit on Sunday due to a bladder issue. In a statement from the Pentagon, two doctors from Walter Reed explained that Austin had been transported for symptoms suggesting a emergent bladder problem and was subsequently admitted to the critical care unit for close monitoring and supportive care. Although there is no information on how long his hospital stay will be, his cancer prognosis was described as “excellent.”
Biden Defense Secretary Hospitalized, Placed in Critical Care https://t.co/Owk3ddwoWq pic.twitter.com/ifsoLtUBPI
— Home Defense Gun (@HomeDefenseGun) February 12, 2024
The Pentagon made sure to emphasize that Austin was still in charge, stating that he retained all his functions and duties as Secretary of Defense. The Deputy Secretary of Defense was prepared to take on Austin’s responsibilities if needed. However, it’s worth noting that during Austin’s previous hospitalization, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks took on some of Austin’s duties but didn’t even find out about the hospitalization until three days later. It seems like there may be a lack of communication within the Department of Defense.
President Joe Biden and the White House also didn’t receive notification of Austin’s health issues until three days after he was admitted to the hospital. This lack of transparency resulted in Austin taking full responsibility for not keeping his boss and subordinates informed. He apologized and promised to do a better job in the future. But the question remains: is this someone we can trust to be on top of things and communicate effectively?
