US Defense Secretary Hospitalised, Biden Not Told Till Days After: Report

The sudden hospitalisation of US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin last week has caused a row after the Department of Defense failed to disclose this news even as Washington faces a growing crisis in the Middle East.

Although Mr Austin was hospitalised on January 1 after he suffered complications from a previous medical procedure, the Pentagon issued a statement about the development only on the evening of January 6.

"Austin was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on the evening of January 1 for complications following a recent elective medical procedure," Pentagon Press Secretary Major General Pat Ryder said, without disclosing details on the nature or severity of the complications and the duration of his stay. "He is recovering well and is expecting to resume his full duties," he added.

Although Mr Ryder said the US secretary's deputy Kathleen Hicks was prepared to take over "at all times, a senior defense official told The Associated Press that she was not even aware of the hospitalisation till four days later.

Ms Hick, who was on a vacation to Puerto Rico, then prepared statements to send to Congress and made plans to return to Washington, the official said. A Defense Department spokesperson told news agency AFP that the deputy secretary made "routine decisions" on Mr Austin's behalf.

Three anonymous officials, talking to The Associated Press, claimed that US president Joe Biden was also kept in the dark about the hospitalisation till his national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, informed him days later.

The move was also criticised by the Pentagon Press Association, a group of journalists that cover the defense department, which expressed concerns over the withholding of information calling it "an outrage." "The public has a right to know when US Cabinet members are hospitalized, under anesthesia or when duties are delegated as a result of any medical procedure," said the letter from the association.

However, Mr Austin took responsibility for the delays in releasing the information. "I recognize I could have done a better job ensuring the public was appropriately informed. I commit to doing better," he said.

Washington is currently witnessing rising tensions in the Middle East as the Israel-Hamas war continues to rage with Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen constantly striking "Pro-Israel" ships in the Red Sea while US troops are under attack in Iraq and Syria.