While U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was hospitalized in the intensive care unit without informing the president, even the deputy secretary who represented him did not appear to know about the hospitalization. As the impact of the ‘Pentagon Mystery’ grows, some say that Secretary Austin should take responsibility, but some say that the possibility of his actual resignation is low.
NBC News reported on the 7th that Secretary Austin entrusted Deputy Secretary Katherine Hicks with his duties on the 2nd, the day of his hospitalization, but he, who was on vacation in Puerto Rico at the time, did not know about the secretary’s hospitalization until the 4th. Hicks subsequently interrupted his vacation and attempted to hastily return to Washington on the 5th. But after hearing that Secretary Austin was preparing to return to work, he stayed in Puerto Rico to keep his communications in order. Defense Department spokesman Pat Ryder told CNN that it is “not uncommon” for the secretary of defense to transfer certain responsibilities without explaining why.
View largerPatrick Ryder, Pentagon SpokespersonEven key officials at the Department of Defense and the White House were belatedly notified of Secretary Austin’s hospitalization. It was just two hours before the Pentagon’s public announcement that Chief of Staff Kelly McThurman sent an email to senior military generals. Congress was notified only 15 minutes before the statement was made. Ryder’s spokesperson explained that the report was delayed because Chief of Staff Mac Thurman was also experiencing health problems. She did not respond when asked why she and other aides did not notify the White House or the deputy secretary sooner.
During Secretary Austin’s ‘secret hospitalization’, the entire U.S. military chain of command from the President, Secretary of Defense, and Combatant Commanders was virtually empty. Although Charles Brown, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, found out relatively early that Secretary Austin was hospitalized, CNN explained that he was not directly included in the core chain of command.
View largerU.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken (left) is heading to the meeting place with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani (right) in Doha, Qatar, on the 7th. Doha = AP NewsisU.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken also said at a press conference held in Doha, Qatar, on the 8th that he met with Secretary Lloyd the weekend before he was hospitalized, but that he had not heard about any medical problems since. A senior Pentagon official said, “There were strict orders to rest and not contact Austin.”
A Defense Department official told CNN, “Does it make sense that so many people are supporting and assisting the Secretary at close range every day, yet no one has the power to speak to the White House?” He added, “It’s surprising that no one has ever mentioned the word ‘cover-up.’” . Dan Grazier, a senior researcher at the Project on Government Oversight (POGO), an American civic group, said, “Especially considering the position of Secretary of Defense, the fact that the hospitalization and the person responsible should have been clearly disclosed from the beginning is Public Relations 101 (Introduction). “He criticized.
Calls for the dismissal of Secretary Austin have also begun to emerge, but Politico, a U.S. political media outlet, reported that it is unlikely that Secretary Austin will be held directly responsible for this incident. This is because President Joe Biden prefers Secretary Austin, who is quiet and thorough enough to be called a ‘cipher man’ after some high-ranking military generals had a hard time with public opinion during the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. Secretary Austin was also close to President Biden’s eldest son, Beau Biden.
View largerU.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin (left) is talking with Captain Rick Burgess of the Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier operating in waters near Israel on the 20th of last month. The Gerald Ford is a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier deployed to the Eastern Mediterranean to prevent the spread of war between Israel and Hamas. AP NewsisHowever, some officials said, “Anyone who decides not to disclose hospitalization will have their head blown off.” This is because the controversy over ‘dereliction of duty’ is growing as the United States is responding to the war that broke out in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip in Palestine.
Congress also announced verification of the Ministry of Defense’s opacity. Representative Roger Wicker, the Republican ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued a statement and criticized, “This incident is an insult by the Biden administration to Congress.” House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (Republican) and Rep. Adam Smith (Democrat) also issued a joint statement, saying, “Secretary Austin’s surgery and complications, his current health condition, the timing of delegation of the Secretary of Defense’s duties, and the delay in reporting to the President and Congress.” They asked for a report on “reasons” etc.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.