Pentagon Under Pressure Over Defense Secretary Austin’s Absence
- Lawmakers demand more transparency over Austin hospitalization
- White House stands by defense secretary despite controversy
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US lawmakers demanded answers from the Pentagon after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin failed to notify the White House about his hospitalization for four days, saying they weren’t satisfied with the explanation for his absence.
The Pentagon said Monday that Austin’s top staffers knew about the hospitalization on Jan. 2, but did not notify the White House, Congress or the deputy defense secretary for several days. The Defense Department has still not disclosed why Austin was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, or whether he was unconscious at any time during his multi-day stay in intensive care, which began on New Year’s Day.