The House Armed Services Committee has launched a formal inquiry into Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin's recent undisclosed absence.
The inquiry, led by Chairman of the committee and Alabama Rep. Mike Rogers, issued letters to the Defense Secretary, along with Deputy Sec. Of Defense Kathleen Hicks and Austin's Chief of Staff Kelly Magsamen, requesting "full transparency" surrounding Austin's recent hospitalization.
Yesterday, doctors at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center revealed Austin had been treated for prostate cancer in late-December and was subsequently hospitalized this month for complications over a urinary tract infection.
“My colleagues and I have grave concerns about the handling of your absence and hospitalization," Rogers wrote in the letter to Austin. "It is unacceptable that neither the Department of Defense ... the White House, nor the Congress were accurately informed of your position or capacity."
"With wars in Ukraine and Israel, the idea that the White House and even your own Deputy did not understand the nature of your condition is patently unacceptable,” Rogers added.
“Everything from on-going counterterrorism operations to nuclear command and control relies on a clear understanding of the Secretary’s decision-making capacity,” Rogers continued. “The Department is a robust institution, and it is designed to function under attack by our enemies, but it is not designed for a Secretary who conceals being incapacitated.”
The White House and the Department of Defense have also launched reviews of Cabinet protocols after Austin's undisclosed hospitalization.
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.
Austin released a statement on Saturday thanking the nursing staff at Walter Reed for their care and warmth towards him and his family.
Austin's failure to disclose his hospitalization drew the ire of many Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, who called on President Joe Biden to terminate the Defense Secretary.
"Failed Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin should be fired immediately for improper professional conduct and dereliction of duty," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "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."
The Defense Secretary said he recognized "media concerns" about "transparency" and conceded he could have "done a better job ensuring the public was appropriately informed."
"I commit to doing better," the defense secretary wrote and added, "this was my medical procedure, and I take full responsibility for my decisions about disclosure."
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.
