- Former President Donald Trump has called for the removal of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, accusing him of a ‘dereliction of duty’ for being ‘missing for a week’
- Trump expressed his anger on Truth Social, claiming Austin’s failure to disclose his whereabouts in the hospital was grounds for immediate dismissal
- Pentagon officials took three days to disclose details about Austin’s hospital stay after a medical procedure on December 22 and being admitted on January 1
Former President Donald Trump has demanded Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin be ‘fired immediately’ after going ‘missing for a week’ when he was secretly in the ICU as the White House was kept in the dark about his condition.
In a scathing post to Truth Social on Sunday night, Trump did not hide his anger as what he claimed was a ‘dereliction of duty’ having occurred after Austin failed to inform his superiors as to his whereabouts – with even his deputy seemingly kept in the dark.
‘Failed Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin should be fired immediately for 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 began.
‘He has performed poorly, and should have been dismissed long ago, along with ‘General’ Mark Milley, for many reasons, but in particular the catastrophic surrender in Afghanistan, perhaps the most embarrassing moment in the history of our Country!’ Trump went on.
Trump has joined the growing calls for Biden to fire Austin, who was admitted to intensive care at Walter Reed Medical Center on January 1st. But it wasn’t until days later that many in the Pentagon and the White House learned of his condition.
Politico reported that Austin’s job is not in jeopardy as the longtime Biden ally looks to stay in the top military post.
Biden got to know Austin when he served as vice president and led Iraq policy for the Obama administration. Austin was a commander in the Middle East at the time.
Additionally, Austin was also close to Beau Biden when Beau served on Austin’s staff in Iraq in 2008 and 2009.
The two men, both devout Catholics, attended Mass together, sitting side-by-side almost every Sunday, and they kept in touch after Beau returned from his deployment.
Joe Biden even mentioned his late son’s special relationship upon his nomination to the post in 2020
‘It’s why he has inspired so many young people who work for him to give their very best, and to live up to his example of leadership — including, for a time, a lawyer serving a year in Iraq with his Delaware Army National Guard unit. My son, Beau Biden.
‘I know how proud Beau was to serve on your staff, General Austin. And I know that, under your leadership, the Department of Defense will advance the security of the American people in ways that always honor our highest values and ideals,’ he said.
On Sunday, the Pentagon released new details about defense secretary Lloyd Austin’s secretive stay in hospital.
It explained how Austin – who ranks just behind the Commander-in-Chief in military command – underwent a medical procedure on December 22 and went home a day later. He was admitted to intensive care on January 1 when he began experiencing severe pain.
The latest information came as members of both parties in Congress expressed concerns about the secrecy of Austin’s hospital stay and the fact that the president and other senior leaders were kept in the dark about it for days.
The statement, released by Air Force Major General Pat Ryder, did not, however, provide any details about the medical procedure or what actually happened on Monday to require Mr. Austin to be in intensive care at the Walter Reed Army Medical Centre in Washington D.C.
Ryan said Austin was placed in the hospital’s intensive care unit ‘due to his medical needs, but then remained in that location in part due to hospital space considerations and privacy’.
The Pentagon’s failure to disclose Austin being taken to hospital, including to President Joe Biden, the National Security Council and top Pentagon leaders, for days reflects a lack of transparency about his illness, how serious it was and when he may be released.
Such secrecy, when the United States is juggling myriad national security crises, runs counter to normal practice with the president and other senior US officials and Cabinet members.
Ryder said the National Security Council and deputy secretary of defense Kathleen Hicks were not notified until Thursday, January 4, that Austin had been in hospital since January 1.
Ryder said Austin’s chief of staff Kelly Magsamen was ill and ‘unable to make notifications before then’.
He said she informed Hicks and the national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, on Thursday.
Once notified, Hicks began preparing statements to send to Congress and made plans to return to Washington.
Hicks was also out of town and in Puerto Rico on leave but had communications equipment with her to remain in contact and had already been tasked with some secretary-level duties on Tuesday.
The Pentagon did not say if Hicks was given an explanation on Tuesday for why she was assuming some of Austin’s duties, but temporary transfers of authority are not unusual and are often done without detailed explanations.
Hicks decided not to return after she was informed that Austin would resume full control on Friday.
Biden was then told of Austin’s medical stay on Thursday by Sullivan, according to three people with knowledge of the situation who were not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
In a statement issued on Saturday evening said Austin took responsibility for the delays in notification.
He said: ‘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.’
Austin, 70, remains in hospital, and officials have been unable to say how long he will be at Walter Reed.
In his statement, Austin said he is on the mend and is looking forward to returning to the Pentagon soon, but he provided no other details about his ailment.