The White House said on Monday (Jan 8) that US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin would stay in his job, adding there is no plan for anything else. Addressing a press conference on Air Force One National Security Council (NSC) spokesperson John Kirby said. “There is no plan for anything other than for Secretary Austin to stay in the job.”
Kirby said that President Joe Biden respected the fact that Austin took ownership of the lack of transparency but said that there would be a review of procedures in the wake of the incident.
Kirby also said that there is an exception among members of Biden’s Cabinet that if one becomes hospitalised, “that will be notified up the chain of command.”
What happened to Austin?
Llyod Austin, the Pentagon chief, was hospitalised on Jan 1 due to complications from an elective medical procedure. The Pentagon did not make any public announcement until four days later and also waited to notify other top government figures.
On Monday, Pentagon spokesperson Major General Pat Ryder told journalists that Austin, 77, underwent an unspecified medical procedure on Dec 22 and was discharged the following day, but began experiencing “severe pain” on Jan 1 and was taken by ambulance to Walter Reed.
Some of Austin’s authorities were transferred to Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks on Jan 2, but she was not told that he was hospitalized until two days later, Ryder said, the news agency AFP reported.
The 77-year-old faced widespread criticism for waiting days to inform the White House and Congress about his hospitalisation, keeping key officials in the dark about his status amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
Republicans call for Austin’s removal
Some Republican lawmakers including former president Donald Trump called for Austin’s resignation. In a social media post, Trump said that Austin “should be fired immediately for improper professional conduct and dereliction of duty.”
Last Saturday, Austin said that he took “full responsibility for my decisions about disclosure,” and admitted that he “could have done a better job ensuring the public was appropriately informed.”
(With inputs from agencies)
