Defense chief on the defensive: Lawmakers to confront Austin on secret hospital stay

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will face Congress publicly for the first time Thursday to explain his failure to quickly notify the president and other senior leaders about his hospitalization last month for complications from prostate cancer surgery.

He is expected to hear some sharp questions and criticism from members of the House Armed Services Committee for keeping his hospital stay secret for days, including from President Joe Biden. A number of Republicans have blasted him for the lack of transparency and used the incident to slam the Biden administration for not keeping Congress informed.

The lapse has raised questions about whether there were gaps in the command and control of the nation's armed forces, including its nuclear arsenal. The Pentagon has insisted there was no break in control as Austin transferred authorities to the deputy secretary.

Austin's remarks to the committee will likely mirror a mea culpa that he delivered in a press briefing early this month. He has taken full responsibility for the communications failures and apologized, and the department has ordered a number of changes and improvement in the procedures.

Austin was diagnosed with prostate cancer in early December and went to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for surgery on Dec. 22. On Jan. 1, he was taken back to Walter Reed by ambulance after experiencing significant pain, and was moved to the intensive care unit the next day.

Pentagon officials have acknowledged that public affairs and defense aides were told on Jan. 2 that Austin had been hospitalized but did not make it public and did not tell the military service leaders or the National Security Council until Jan. 4. Only then did Biden find out. It took four more days