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GOP senators outraged over ‘shocking breakdown’ related to Defense Sec Lloyd Austin’s secret hospitalization

via CNN
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Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s recent hospitalization raised concerns as the White House and senior officials were not immediately informed.

Senator Tom Cotton called for an explanation, emphasizing the critical role of the Secretary of Defense in the chain of command.

Senator Roger Wicker criticized the lack of transparency, linking it to a broader pattern of information delays by the Biden administration. (Trending: Chilling Arrest Footage of Trump Co-Defendant Provides Glimpse Into Jack Smith Probe)

Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said, “Austin was admitted to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Monday for complications following a recent elective medical procedure.”

“Secretary Austin must address promptly the troubling report that the Department of Defense didn’t immediately notify President Biden or the National Security Council that he was hospitalized and unable to perform his duties,” wrote Cotton in a statement.

“The Secretary of Defense is the key link in the chain of command between the president and the uniformed military, including the nuclear chain of command, when the weightiest of decisions must be made in minutes,” continued the statement.

“If this report is true, there must be consequences for this shocking breakdown,” added Cotton.

Sen. Roger Wicker wrote, “When one of the country’s two National Command Authorities is unable to perform their duties, military families, Members of Congress, and the American public deserve to know the full extent of the circumstances.”

“This episode further erodes trust in the Biden Administration, which has repeatedly failed to inform the public in a timely fashion about critical events such as the Chinese spy balloon and the withdrawal from Afghanistan,” continued his statement.

“Members must be briefed on a full accounting of the facts immediately,” added the lawmaker.

The delayed notification sparked outrage among the press and raised questions about the justification for the secrecy.

Austin, who underwent an undisclosed elective surgery, acknowledged the transparency concerns and committed to better communication.

“I am very glad to be on the mend and look forward to returning to the Pentagon soon,” wrote Austin in a statement. “I also understand the media concerns about transparency and I recognize I could have done a better job ensuring the public was appropriately informed. I commit to doing better. But this is important to say: this was my medical procedure, and I take full responsibility for my decisions about disclosure,” he continued.

The incident occurred amidst a complex time for the Biden administration, with ongoing national security challenges in Iraq, Syria, Ukraine, Israel, and the Red Sea.

“The very fact that we have none of this information is an indictment of an administration which consistently holds Congressional authority on national defense matters in contempt,” said Wicker.

The Pentagon Press Association (PPA) wrote, “We are writing to express our significant concerns about the Defense Department’s failure to notify the public and the media about Secretary Lloyd Austin’s current hospitalization.”

“The fact that he has been at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for four days and the Pentagon is only now alerting the public late on a Friday evening is an outrage,” continued the organization.

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