(DCWatchdog.com) – In a disturbing development hinting at how bad Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s health really might be, a long-anticipated congressional hearing on his recent hospitalization had to be limited substantially due to his condition as a recovering patient.
Austin appeared for a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Thursday. Still, the session was unusually brief due to his health complications, The Daily Caller reported.
A prior report about the time-limited hearing followed a period of scrutiny after Austin did not inform the White House or Congress about his hospitalization earlier in the year.
The scandalous episode led US Rep. Mike Rogers, the Republican chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, to initiate an inquiry into the lack of communication.
The hearing with Austin remained limited to only two hours, a constraint attributed to his health condition. The limit slashed the time available for committee members to pose questions.
An unnamed concerned member of Congress had expressed their alarm over this situation.
“The Secretary of Defense can’t sit for two hours and the president can’t remember what he had for breakfast, so who is actually running our military? It’s terrifying to realize how vulnerable we are, and our adversaries know it. 2024 can’t come soon enough,” the lawmaker said.
The specifics of Austin’s hospitalization, which initially sparked widespread concern due to the absence of immediate communication, were disclosed shortly afterward.
The Pentagon announced that Austin underwent a medical procedure on December 22 to address prostate cancer and had to be readmitted to the hospital on January 1 due to pain associated with a urinary tract infection.
Despite President Joe Biden having conversations with Austin after he was hospitalized, the president was not informed of the specific condition leading to Austin’s hospitalization until days later.
The White House has confirmed that there is no intention to dismiss Austin from his post.
In response to the criticism over the communication lapse, Austin issued a statement acknowledging the need for improved transparency.
“I recognize I could have done a better job ensuring the public was appropriately informed. I commit to doing better,” he asserted. “But this is important to say: this was my medical procedure, and I take full responsibility for my decisions about disclosure,” Austin said.
