The White House will review the “process and procedure” surrounding Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s hospitalization last week and make changes, if necessary, but President Joe Biden has no plans to fire him.
“We will obviously, I think, as you might expect, we’ll take a look at the process and procedure here and try to learn from this experience,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters aboard Air Force One.
He said if there are changes required following that review, the White House would implement them.
“I think there’s an expectation that when a Cabinet official becomes hospitalized … that will be notified up the chain of command. There is that expectation,” Kirby said.
Still, Kirby said Biden retains confidence in Austin and looks forward to seeing him return to the Pentagon.
“I think our main focus right now is on Secretary Austin’s health and making sure that he gets all the care and the support that he needs to fully recover,” Kirby said.
“There is no plans or anything other than for Secretary Austin to stay in the job and continue in the leadership that he’s been been demonstrating,” he added.
Austin is facing intense questions after it was revealed on Friday that he had been hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for days without notifying the public. It was subsequently reported that Biden, senior national security officials and even Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks – who had assumed Austin’s duties – were not aware of the Defense secretary’s hospitalization until three days after he was admitted.
In a statement Saturday, Austin said, “I recognize I could have done a better job ensuring the public was appropriately informed. I commit to doing better. But this is important to say: This was my medical procedure, and I…
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