- Lloyd Austin, 70, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in early December 2023
- The defense minister underwent surgery on December 22 and was discharged the next day
- On January 1, he experienced “severe stomach, leg and hip pain” and was hospitalized
- Biden was not informed of this until January 4th and Austin will testify before Congress
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was asked to testify before the House Armed Services Committee about his undisclosed hospitalization.
The 70-year-old was diagnosed with prostate cancer in early December, underwent surgery on December 22nd and received the diagnosis the next day.
But on January 1, he developed “severe stomach, leg and hip pain” and was admitted to Walter Reed Hospital. The White House was not informed of his hospitalization until January 4th and did not learn of the cancer diagnosis until January 9th – leading to calls for Austin's resignation.
On Thursday, Mike Rogers, an Alabama Republican and chairman of the Armed Services Committee, wrote to Austin asking him to appear before the committee on Feb. 14 to speak.
Lloyd Austin is pictured Dec. 20 – his last public sighting – talking to the USS Gerald R. Ford's commanding officer, Navy Capt. Rick Burgess, during an unannounced visit to the ship off the coast of Israel
Austin speaks to crew members of the USS Gerald R. Ford on Dec. 20. Two days later, he went to the hospital for scheduled prostate cancer surgery – but was discharged and readmitted a week later
Austin, 70, is seen testifying at a budget hearing in March
“Congress must understand what happened and who made decisions to prevent disclosure of a Cabinet secretary’s whereabouts,” Rogers wrote.
Austin spent the first two weeks of 2024 in the hospital and was released to his home in Virginia on Monday.
President Joe Biden said Austin had his full support, but Republicans accused him of being unreachable.
“To maintain the most ready and lethal force possible, everyone in the national security community must be able to rely on the availability and transparency of the Secretary of Defense,” Rogers said in his four-page letter to Austin.
“It is unfortunate that you have not exhibited these qualities in the recent series of events.”
Austin faced calls for his resignation after he failed to inform the White House of his cancer diagnosis, surgery and hospital readmission
Rogers, who has launched an investigation into Austin's conduct, said he wants Austin to provide details of his communications with the White House and Defense Department officials; the temporary transfer of power to Deputy Secretary of State Kathleen Hicks; and Austin's official actions during his hospitalization.
Hicks took control of some of Austin's powers on January 2, but the White House was not informed.
On the same day that Hicks took power, the Pentagon press secretary, Austin's chief of staff, and Austin's senior military adviser learned that Austin was in the hospital.
“I expect your full honesty and cooperation in this matter,” Rogers said.
“Anything else is completely unacceptable.”
The public was not informed of Austin's hospitalization until January 5th.
Austin and the Pentagon have yet to respond to Rogers' request.