Lloyd Austin’s move posed ‘unnecessary’ national security risks, report finds
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Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s decision last year to keep his hospitalization secret and remain in command while on medication that could affect brain function "unnecessarily" increased national security risks, according to a Pentagon watchdog report.
"The risks to our national defense, including the command and control of the Defense Department's critical national security operations, were increased unnecessarily," Inspector General Robert Storch said, though his investigation "found no adverse consequences to Defense Department operations."
Austin was hospitalized on January 1, 2024, due to complications from a prostate cancer surgery in December and was transferred to the intensive care unit the following day. The defense secretary waited several days before informing his deputy Kathleen Hicks and President Joe Biden, according to the Wednesday report.
"Secretary Austin received several different medications during the morning of January 2 that had the potential to affect cognitive functions," the inspector general wrote.
While Austin transferred authority of some of his duties to Hicks on January 2, Hicks did not learn Austin was hospitalized until two days later. Neither Austin nor Hicks notified the White House or Congress in a "timely manner" as required by the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, according to the inspector general.
Austin also failed to transfer authorities on January 6 and 8 while undergoing medical procedures that required moderate sedation, the report noted. The defense secretary texted his chief of staff, Kelly Magsamen, that he did not want his medical condition to become "a media circus."
"I wish [Austin] were a normal person but he’s the [Secretary of Defense]," Magsamen wrote to another aide in a text message reviewed by the inspector general. "We have a big institutional responsibility. He can't just go totally dark on his staff. … Please pass to him that we can’t keep his hospitalization a secret forever. It's kind of big deal for him to be in the [ICU]. And I'm worried sick."
Austin’s lack of transparency sparked a political uproar at the time, with President-elect Donald Trump calling for Austin to be "fired immediately for improper professional conduct and dereliction of duty." The general public was not notified of Austin's hospitalization until January 5.
