Pentagon: Austin Blameless for Not Disclosing Hospitalization

Facts

• The US Pentagon on Monday released a review that concluded Secretary Lloyd Austin and his staff were not at fault for failing to notify the White House, Congress, or top Pentagon staff about his January hospitalization, saying that they didn't act with 'ill intent.'¹
• The three-page report summarizing the Pentagon's internal review of the situation blamed the communication failure on the 'unprecedented situation' and a desire to protect Austin's privacy.²
• Directed by Austin's chief of staff Kelly Magsamen, the report says Austin's staff was limited during his hospitalization because of privacy laws, hesitance to share sensitive information, and the fluid nature of Austin's stay in the Critical Care Unit.³
• The unclassified portion of the summary largely absolved all parties of wrongdoing, saying there wasn't a plan for such an unprecedented circumstance. While Austin acknowledged he should have handled the situation differently, he denied that his office has a culture of secrecy.⁴
• On Dec. 22, Austin underwent a surgical procedure for prostate cancer and then dealt with a urinary tract infection and intestinal complications. He was rehospitalized Jan. 1, but the White House didn't know about his health situation until Jan. 4.⁵
• After his release, Austin told reporters he wanted to keep his 'gut punch' cancer diagnosis private. He's scheduled to testify before the House Armed Services Committee on Thursday.⁵

Sources: ¹Forbes, ²CBS, ³CNN, ⁴VOA and ⁵ABC News.

Narratives

• Republican narrative, as provided by FOX News. It's no surprise a Pentagon report found there was no one to blame at the Pentagon. But it's appalling that the report details such ineptitude by Democrats in the Biden administration, particularly when it says Austin and his staff didn't pass on information that could quickly change because it was an unprecedented situation. The unprecedented nature of this incident required complete transparency to keep the US safe.
• Democratic narrative, as provided by MSNBC. Republicans continuing to politicize Austin's health problems and his communication mistakes are smearing an honorable man who's serving the US admirably. Austin has apologized to the president, his co-workers, and the American people — transparency that GOP culture could benefit from — and it's time to look toward the future, not stay mired in the past.

Predictions