As calls from Democrats and Republicans continue to grow for Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to resign, the Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General has launched a new investigation into his lengthy absence and secret hospital stay.
"The purpose of this memorandum is to notify you that we plan to begin the subject review in January 2024. The objective of the review is to examine the roles, processes, procedures, responsibilities, and actions related to the Secretary of Defense’s hospitalization in December 2023 – January 2024, and assess whether the DoD’s policies and procedures are sufficient to ensure timely and appropriate notifications and the effective transition of authorities as may be warranted due to health-based or other unavailability of senior leadership," a memo released Thursday states.
"The DoD OIG may revise or expand the objective and scope as the review proceeds. We plan to perform this review in accordance with Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, 'Quality Standards for Federal Offices of Inspector General,'" the memo continues. "We will perform the review at the Office of the Secretary of Defense. We may identify additional offices and personnel who might have information relevant to our review."
According to the Defense Department and doctors at Walter Reed Medical Center, Austin was diagnosed with prostate cancer in December. He went in for secret surgery on December 22. After a subsequent infection, Austin went back to the hospital and landed in intensive care.
During this entire period, Austin never informed President Joe Biden or National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan of his absence. His deputy, who was on vacation in Puerto Rico at the time, was also not informed of Austin's condition until days into the hospitalization last week. Congress, in breach of federal law, was also left in the dark.
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Austin remains in the hospital - an 11 day stay so far - and according to National Security Council spokesman John Kirby, the White House is unsure of whether he is making decisions from a hospital bed or elsewhere in the hospital.
"You said that Secretary Austin took part in the conversations regarding the Red Sea. Do you know if he was conducting his business from the bedside, or is he released from the hospital?" a reporter asked Wednesday.
"I would refer you to the Pentagon for his whereabouts and his condition. It's our under..yesterday, at least for where he is today. Yesterday, he was still in the hospital when he participated in that discussion," Kirby responded.
U.S. troops in the Middle East have been attacked dozens of times by Iranian backed proxies during this time.
Largest drone and missile attack in Red Sea by Iranian-backed forces since conflict began in October. https://t.co/Pk9CWuxP8I
— Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) January 10, 2024
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