(NewsNation) – THE White House insisted that the president has no plans to get rid of his defense secretary, even as senior Republicans are calling for him to go.
However, there is big questions that remain unanswered: As American men and women in uniform are attacked in the Middle East, why did Department of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin keep his stay in an intensive care unit a secret for days? And why didn’t the president and the White House know he was missing?
The Pentagon revealed Sunday that Austin had surgery on Dec. 22 and returned home the next day.
However, he was admitted to the intensive care unit at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center last Monday after reporting severe pain.
He remains in the hospital but has left the intensive care unit.
The Pentagon did not inform President Joe Biden until Thursday. Then Congress and the public were notified on Friday.
Earlier in the day, national security spokesman John Kirby said their main concern now is the secretary’s health, making sure he gets all the care he needs.
“He’s already regained all of his authorities, he’s already performing all of the functions that he would normally perform from the hospital,” Kirby said. “We will look at the process and procedure here as you would expect – try to learn from it.”
This whole ordeal has exposed a glaring lack of transparency when it comes to a cabinet secretary.
But some in the Republican Party are calling for an investigation, while former President Donald Trump and top congressional Republicans are calling on Austin to resign or be fired.
Trump also posted on Social truth, stating: “The failed Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin should be fired immediately for inappropriate professional conduct and dereliction of duty. He’s been missing for a week and no one, including his boss, the crooked Joe Biden, had any idea where he was or might be.
In a statement released Sunday, Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Austin was “recovering well and in good spirits.”
In his own statement, Austin admitted he was wrong for not being transparent about his health.
“I am very happy to be on the mend and look forward to returning to the Pentagon soon.” I also understand the media’s concerns about transparency and recognize that I could have done a better job ensuring the public was properly informed. I’m committed to doing better,” Austin said.
Austin returned to duty Friday and spoke with the White House on Saturday, describing it as a warm conversation and that the president “trusts him completely.”
