Rep. Mike Rogers, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, sent a letter Thursday to Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. requested to testify at the meeting.

“The last time you and I spoke, you promised full transparency in response to questions regarding the confidentiality of your recent hospitalization,” Rodgers wrote in the letter. “You answered some of my questions, but you didn't address a worrying number of questions,” said Rogers (R-Sachs).

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“In particular, I am concerned that you have refused to answer whether you have instructed your staff not to inform the President of the United States or anyone else about your hospitalization. We suspect that information is being withheld from the public. Parliament needs to understand what happened and who made the decision to block the publication of ministers' whereabouts. Because you don't want to answer, we need to convene a full committee hearing on February 14, 2024, where the committee will ask you directly about your decision to withhold information from the President, Congress, and the American people. We look forward to hearing testimony.”

Rogers demands extradition from Austin:

1) Any orders or instructions issued by you or your staff to inform or not inform others of your hospitalization or medical condition.

2) A detailed description of your actions and intentions in transferring duties to Deputy Hicks and what was communicated to her regarding the reasons for the transfer.

3) A description of all official actions you took or authorized while in the hospital.

4) A list of all military operations conducted in the U.S. Central Command area of ​​responsibility during the period from December 22, 2023 to January 5, 2024, when the Secretary of Defense was not serving.

5) A record of all other periods during which other persons assumed the duties of Secretary of Defense that overlapped with medical procedures or other medical activities.

6) your health, medical treatment, and whereabouts between you, your personnel, or other Department of Defense personnel from the time of your hospitalization on January 1, 2024, through today, January 18, 2024; All written communications regarding operational capabilities to lead the Department of Defense. ; and,

7) Department-wide communications regarding health or Department of Defense operational management with White House or Biden administration officials from January 1 to January 18, 2024;

Austin will be asked to appear for a House Armed Services Committee hearing on February 14, 2024 at 10 a.m.

Austin is a Mobile native and retired four-star general in the U.S. Army.

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