Experts say the military may have been left without de facto command of the military for at least three days while Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin remained in intensive care, unbeknownst to his aides, the president and other key officials. He told the Daily Caller that he had sex. News Foundation.

pentagon Confirmed Austin was never given general anesthesia or lost consciousness during his secret hospitalization, which began on January 1st. At the time, Austin was rushed by ambulance to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center due to complications from a previous surgery, which was also undisclosed. But experts say the uncertainty surrounding Mr. Austin's whereabouts among the White House and national security leaders, combined with unknowns about his ability to perform his job, has led to a crisis in the government's ability to respond to global threats. He pointed out that there may have been a dangerous crack in the ability of the

“It is inconceivable that neither the White House nor the Deputy Secretary of Defense knew that the Secretary of Defense was incapacitated and hospitalized. The Secretary of Defense is involved in all important national security decisions and without anyone's knowledge “It's unprecedented for the Secretary of Defense to be absent from the meeting,” retired Lt. Gen. Thomas Spohr, senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told DCNF.

“We cannot say that there was not a functioning Secretary of Defense. Rather, we can say that there was unusual confusion and lack of knowledge regarding the location and status of the Secretary, which may have led to a breach of national security,” Spohr said. added. (Related article: US shoots down 24 Houthi drones and missiles in largest attack to date)

Little by little, the details of Austin's hospitalization deepened, deepening his apparent secrecy and further deepening the confusion in communication among his staff and within the administration.

Austin was taken to the hospital by ambulance on January 1, about a week after undergoing non-invasive surgery to treat prostate cancer, after experiencing nausea and severe pain in his legs and abdomen, the hospital said. This was announced in a statement Tuesday afternoon. Doctors placed him in the ICU on January 2 to treat a urinary tract infection, where he remained until he returned to full duty.

Even the president did not know until Tuesday that Mr. Austin had been diagnosed with prostate cancer in early December, or of the details of his Dec. 22 surgery and subsequent complications.

While in the hospital, Austin transferred “certain operational authorities” that required “constant secure communication capabilities” to Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks and Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder. Said CNN. Rider said Hicks was vacationing in Puerto Rico at the time, had access to a secure communications suite and was conducting day-to-day operations on Austin's behalf, but did not know the reason behind the transfer. Said at Monday's briefing.

According to CNN, the Pentagon has stated that it is not uncommon for the secretary to delegate without explanation, and that if for some reason the secretary is unable to perform his or her regular duties, certain authorities will automatically be passed on to the deputy secretary. Stated. For example, when Austin visited On Dec. 20, Ryder said, the crew of the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford, which supports the U.S. deterrence posture in the Mediterranean, said Hicks assumed some of their authority.

He could not provide specific details of Austin's capabilities until he resumes full duties on January 5, and it remains unclear why and when Hicks was He also could not explain what part of the defense secretary's duties he had assumed. Asked It was announced by the DCNF on Tuesday.

Hicks received word on January 2 that he would have to assume some of the director's duties, the Journal reported. reportThis was reported by a person familiar with the matter. Hicks remained in a hotel room where a communications team had set up secure equipment. A defense official told the Journal that she had full authority at all times and that she was “ready to assist the president on other military matters if necessary.”

” [secretary of defense] It is ultimately responsible for the operational control of U.S. forces around the world. At best, his absence is likely to delay important decisions. At worst, his absence could have caused friction that cost Americans lives,” William Thibault, director of the American Military Project at the Center for American Life and a former Army Ranger, told DCNF.

Hypothetically, Tibou asked, what would happen if extremists in Iraq and Syria carried out another significant attack on U.S. forces and needed approval from the Secretary of Defense to carry out a deliberate retaliatory attack? Experts said confusion over Austin's location and status may have compromised the U.S. response.

“At best, the potential mission would have been postponed and the target could have escaped justice. Worse, the friction in the chain of command would have put the lives of Americans who were seeking authority to stop an immediate attack at risk.” could be exposed to,” Thibault explained.

If Mr. Austin was conscious and fully present during his hospital stay, he might have some excuse for not notifying interested parties or requesting that Mr. Hicks serve as acting secretary. No, he said.

Austin will have access to a portable Safety Supplemental Information Facility (SCIF) to perform classified work within the hospital, but only after he resumes full duties on Jan. 5, Rider said Tuesday. Ta.

“In any case, it is clear that the staff was deceiving him about his medical condition, and the White House must be held accountable,” Thibault said.

Ryder said Austin remained in the ICU for several days after his admission for privacy reasons, but the chief did not say exactly when he was stabilized.

The Department of Defense announced that statement Friday revealed that Austin was admitted to the ICU due to severe pain from an “elective medical procedure” on Dec. 22, but provided few additional details. This news caused an uproar as lawmakers and the public learned that Chief of Staff Austin had not informed Hicks, the National Security Adviser, and other national security officials until January 4th. I found out about it late on the 5th.

Sen. Roger Wicker, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, immediately responded to the news on Saturday, saying: Blame Austin's offenses law If a representative must act on behalf of a government official, notification to the President is required.

“It all depends on whether Austin was unable to perform his duties during that period,” William Woodruff, general counsel for the Center for Military Readiness, former law professor and Army JAG director, told DCNF . If he is hospitalized but fully awake, there is a good chance he will be able to perform his duties without sitting at a desk in the Pentagon.

“However, if he had been unconscious, sedated, or on pain or other medications that could affect his mental functioning, he would not have been able to perform his duties. ” and Mr. Hicks should have been formally appointed as acting Secretary of Defense Woodruff. Added.

“The facts are important, but the Department of Defense is not open about the facts,” he said.

Rider said the Pentagon is considering reporting requirements without going into detail.

“Perhaps the crisis did not develop this time, but in a world as tense as ours, the potential impact is beyond comprehension,” Thibault told DCNF.

Republicans on the Senate and House Armed Services Committees have launched formal investigations into the secretary's failure to disclose the circumstances of his hospitalization. There are growing calls for the minister's resignation.

“We need to know who's in charge of the Department of Defense. We can't have a secretary of defense who can disappear for days without being noticed,” said Republican Alabama congressman who chairs the House Armed Services Committee. Mike Rogers told DCNF. He cited an official inquiry into the process and added: “There are clearly leadership issues at the Pentagon that need to be addressed.”

“Lloyd Austin will never recover from this betrayal. In fact, he can no longer be trusted. If he wishes to keep his hospital visits private, he should be allowed to do so as a civilian.” said retired Colonel Joe Buccino, a former U.S. Central Command spokesperson. I have written For Real Clear Defense on Saturday.

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