Lloyd Austin’s hospitalization hidden for days (not even Biden knew)

O The Pentagon decided to keep the hospitalization of United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin secret for several days. According to The Guardian, the person responsible was underwent a first medical procedure on December 22 it’s at information was hidden from his deputy secretaryKathleen Hicks, e even the American presidentJoe Biden.

It should be noted that the information initially provided, on Saturday, by the North American Department of Defense (Pentagon) indicated that Austin was hospitalized on New Year’s Day, January 1, and intensive care hospital. On Sunday, new information was revealed.

The 70-year-old responsible person underwent a first medical procedure about a week before being hospitalized, on December 22, but returned home the following day. On January 1st he began to feel severe pain and was admitted to the Walter Reed military hospital in the state of Maryland.

According to a senior US official, Kathleen Hicks took over some duties from Austin on January 2, despite being on vacation in Puerto Rico. According to other employees, in statements to Reuters, the Deputy Secretary of Defense only found out about the reasons for the Secretary of State’s absence on January 4 – the same day as Joe Biden and the White House.

On Sunday, the Pentagon’s press office said that, despite being hospitalized for several days and recovering from a health problem, the Secretary of State for Defense will remain in office.

In a statement, the press secretary, Major General Patrick Ryder, explained that the Secretary of Defense “is recovering well and in good spirits” and that he has been in office since Friday, having already spoken with Joe Biden on Saturday.

Ryder did not provide details about what led to Lloyd J. Austin’s hospitalization, nor the estimated date on which he could be discharged.

On Saturday, in a statement, Lloyd J. Austin, 70, acknowledged that it was his decision to hide the information that he was hospitalized and made a ‘mea culpa’, saying that he “could have done better in ensuring the public was informed.” .

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