A House Democrat has joined calls from Republicans seeking Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin's resignation after he failed to disclose his recent hospitalization.
On Wednesday, Pennsylvania Rep. Chris Deluzio released a statement asserting his lack of confidence in the Defense Secretary and called for him to resign.
Deluzio, who is a member of the House Armed Services Committee, wrote in an X post, "I have lost trust in Secretary Lloyd Austin's leadership of the Defense Department due to the lack of transparency about his recent medical treatment and its impact on the continuity of the chain of command."
"I have a solemn duty in Congress to conduct oversight of the Defense Department through my service on the House Armed Services Committee," he continued. "That duty today requires me to call on Secretary Austin to resign."Loading...
Austin's failure to disclose his hospitalization drew the ire of many Republicans, including New York Rep. Elise Stefanik and former President Donald Trump, who called on President Joe Biden to terminate the Defense Secretary. “It is shocking and absolutely unacceptable that the Department of Defense waited multiple days to notify the President, the National Security Council, and the American people that Defense Secretary Austin was hospitalized and unable to perform his duties," Stefanik wrote in Monday statement. "In the chain of command, the Secretary of Defense serves as the connection through which the President commands and controls our armed forces." "At this dangerous time when American service members are under attack in Iraq and Syria, our closest partner and ally Israel is at war with Hamas terrorists, and the threat from Communist China is on the rise, it is critical that the Secretary of Defense has the full trust of the American people, Congress, and the White House," she continued. "This concerning lack of transparency exemplifies a shocking lack of judgment and a significant national security threat." "There must be full accountability beginning with the immediate resignation of Secretary Austin and those that lied for him and a Congressional investigation into this dangerous dereliction of duty," Stefanik added. In a Sunday post to Truth Social, Trump called on Biden to terminate the "failed" Austin for his "improper professional conduct and dereliction of duty." "He has been missing for one week, and nobody, including his boss, Crooked Joe Biden, had a clue as to where he was, or might be," Trump wrote.
Last week, Austin was hospitalized at the Walter Reed National Military Center over complications from an elective surgery. However, the Secretary of Defense did not notify the White House, Congress, or the National Security Council of his hospitalization until Jan. 4. Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks was tapped to assume Austin's responsibilities, though Hicks too was unaware of Austin's hospitalization.
On Tuesday, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Biden had "complete confidence" in the Defense Secretary and did not plan on removing Austin from his position.
