US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin I was in the hospital for most of the past week..

It is now known that the Pentagon's top leadership did not notify the White House, the National Security Council, or the House Armed Services Committee about the steps that left the country's top military officials incapacitated for several days.

On Sunday, Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Sachs.) and Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), two of the leading powers on the U.S. House Armed Services Committee, issued a joint statement raising concerns about “transparency.”

“While we hope that Section Austin is making a speedy recovery, we are concerned about how the disclosure of the Secretary's condition was handled,” Rogers and Smith wrote. .

“What were the medical procedures and associated complications? What is the Secretary's current health condition? When and how was the Secretary's responsibilities delegated? Why was there a delay in notifying the President and Congress? , some questions remain unanswered.”

“Transparency is critical,” Rogers and Smith concluded. “Sec. Austin must provide additional details regarding his health and the decision-making process that has occurred over the past week as soon as possible.”

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Seconds Austin was reported to have been hospitalized on Monday, but that was not made public until Friday, when the Department of Defense notified the public that he was being treated at Walter Reed Medical Center in Maryland. On Sunday, a Pentagon spokesperson confirmed that Austin was still hospitalized, but could not provide details of his condition, citing “privacy reasons.”

“The situation is evolving and many factors had to be considered, including medical and personal privacy issues,” the spokesperson said, adding that Austin was “doing well.”

NBC News News outlets such as reported that Austin was admitted to the intensive care unit last Monday. The Pentagon announced that Mr. Austin resumed his duties as Secretary of Defense from his hospital bed on Friday.

It was not immediately clear when the White House was informed of Austin's illness.

NBC News It was also reported that Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks performed the duties of Secretary of Defense in Austin's absence. she was on vacation in puerto rico As of the second. Austin's incapacitation.

Austin, a native of Mobile, Alabama, graduated from Auburn University in 1986 and is a retired four-star general in the U.S. Army.

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