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# Lawmakers Fault Defense Secretary Austin for Failure of Leadership Over Secret Hospital Stay

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<!-- video src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/DjSu9AmR.m3u8" -->
## Video: Lawmakers Fault Defense Secretary Austin for Failure of Leadership Over Secret Hospital Stay

[Watch (HLS stream): Lawmakers Fault Defense Secretary Austin for Failure of Leadership Over Secret Hospital Stay](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/DjSu9AmR.m3u8) (3:34)

![Lawmakers Fault Defense Secretary Austin for Failure of Leadership Over Secret Hospital Stay](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/DjSu9AmR/poster.jpg?width=720)

_Published 2024-02-29. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin faced bipartisan criticism at a congressional hearing for his failure to promptly notify President Joe Biden and other U.S. leaders about his hospital stay last month._


---

Feb 29, 2024 11:20 PM UTC

---

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### Defense Secretary Austin Says U.S. Will Provide $2.3 Billion More in Military Aid to Ukraine

[Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin: "I Take Full Responsibility" For Not Alerting White House of Hospitalization](/video/y0Pw7Ivj/)

### Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin: "I Take Full Responsibility" For Not Alerting White House of Hospitalization

[Pentagon Reveals Details About Secretary Lloyd Austin’s Secretive Hospitalization](/video/z0NHeNmE/)

### Pentagon Reveals Details About Secretary Lloyd Austin’s Secretive Hospitalization

---


## Transcript

I want to be very clear there was ever any lapse in authorities or in command and control at all times either I or the deputy secretary was in a position to conduct the duties of my office, but we did have a breakdown and notifications during my January stay at Walter Reed and that is as sharing my location and why I was here and back in December, I should have promptly informed the president my team in Congress and the American people of my of my cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment again, we did not handle this right and I did not handle it right. As you know, I've apologized including directly to the president and I take full responsibility for you made 8 recommendations to me and I have directed that all 8 recommendations be implemented.

We put two in place already and we're moving out quickly on the other six. So let me quickly summarize them for you. We make clear that we expect full information sharing with a deputy or another designated official assumes of functions and duties as acting secretary. We miss you written guidelines for Clear information sharing between my staff and the deputy secretary staff if these scenarios arrives and will ensure that the Department officials in the order of succession are familiar with with and supported for the relevant processes. And we're moving quickly to develop a mandatory reporting for protocol for personnel who support me or the deputy secretary in situations that might affect our ability to perform our duties and functions.

I want to again make one thing very clear at no time during my treatment of recovery. Were there any gaps in authority and there were no risk to the Department's command-and-control and from the time that I resume my duties on January 5th. I fully participated in National Security decision-making on events in the Middle East and I and about military operations in self-defense to protect our troops in our facilities over there. Again, we're moving swiftly to put some helpful new procedures in place to prevent any lapses in notification and I am confident that we will not experience the same issues in the future get this straight at what point during your hospital stay did you or your staff decided that the President should know about your hospitalization?

As I understand it my chief of staff contacted the National Security advisor and advised him that I've been hospitalized on the 4th of June 4th of January. I'm sorry. I didn't you how long into your stay was that? Well as we've pointed out as has been pointed out earlier, I was a yes or no. Did you tell your staff not to inform the president anyone on your staff? I never told anyone not to inform the President White House or anyone else about my high school of hospitalization. Okay. So the the 30 day review summary lays a lot of blame at the feet of your staff. It is seems that they would appear correct.

For the breakdown of the process you've told us that you are responsible. But the 30 day review seems to blame your staff that there were some missteps and and but there was never any ill intent or an intent to opt you skate.

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