US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin promises transparency amid the secrecy of his hospital stay after it emerged that many senior White House officials, including Joe Biden, were unaware of his hospital stay since last Monday.
Austin was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on January 1 due to what the Pentagon announced Friday was “complications following a recent elective medical procedure.”
The secrecy is a violation of standard protocol and comes on the tense situation in the Middle East, also because of the fact that Austin, because of his importance in the command, must be ready at any moment to respond to any national security crisis.
The Pentagon Press Association criticised the secrecy and said Austin was a public figure and not entitled to medical secrecy in such a situation. In a letter sent to the Pentagon on Friday, it said that “…it is particularly critical for the American public to be informed about the health status and decision-making ability of its top defense leader.”
The Defence Department said Austin returned to duty from his hospital bed on Friday night.
“I recognise I could have done a better job ensuring the public was appropriately informed. I commit to doing better,” Austin said in a statement on Saturday evening.
