JUST THE NEWS – Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is under increasing criticism after keeping the White House and the National Security Council in the dark for days about his hospitalization.
Austin has taken responsibility for not being more transparent after the public was not notified until Friday evening that he was hospitalized Monday for complications from an elective procedure.
Some officials have speculated that someone will lose their job after the incident after top U.S. officials were initially informed he was working from home and they reportedly were not aware of his condition until Thursday, per CNN.
“Someone’s head has to roll,” a Defense Department official told Politico on Sunday.
“Not telling the [White House], Congress or the media he is sick, and then telling Pentagon staff he is working from home is next level. This is a problem,” a former senior Defense official said.
“The handling of this by the secretary of defense is totally unacceptable.” – Former Vice President Mike Pence
“Someone made the decision not to disclose. That person will likely be gone shortly … “
