Mike Rogers requests Sec. Austin testify over secretive hospitalization

Congressman Mike Rogers, Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, on Thursday sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, requesting that the embattled defense secretary testify before the Committee on his failure to disclose an emergency hospitalization that began last month.

“When you and I last spoke, you promised full transparency into questions regarding the secrecy of your recent hospitalization,” Chairman Rogers wrote in the letter. “While you did respond to some of my questions I had for you, a concerning number of questions were not addressed,” Rogers (R-Saks) said.

“Specifically, I am alarmed you refused to answer whether you instructed your staff to not inform the President of the United States or anyone else of your hospitalization. Unfortunately, this leads me to believe that information is being withheld from Congress. Congress must understand what happened and who made decisions to prevent the disclosure of the whereabouts of a cabinet secretary. Your unwillingness to provide candid and complete answers necessitates calling a Full Committee hearing on February 14, 2024, where the Committee expects to hear your direct testimony regarding decisions made to withhold information from the President, Congress, and the American people.”

Rogers is requesting that Austin turn over:

1) All orders or instructions issued by you or a member of your staff to inform or not inform any other person of your hospitalization or medical condition;

2) A detailed account of your actions and intent in transferring your duties to Deputy Secretary Hicks and the context conveyed to her about the reason for the transfer of duties;

3) An accounting of all official actions taken or approved by you during your hospitalization;

4) A list of all military operations carried out in the United States Central Command area of responsibility during any period from December 22, 2023 to January 5, 2024, while you were not acting in the role of Secretary of Defense;

5) A record of all other periods where any other person assumed the duties of Secretary of Defense that coincided with medical procedures or other medical activities rendering you unable to perform such duties;

6) All written communications concerning your health, medical procedures, whereabouts, operational capability to lead the Department between you, your staff, or other Department of Defense staff from the time of your hospitalization on January 1, 2024 to today, January 18, 2024; and,

7) All Department communications from January 1, through January 18, 2024, with the White House or Biden Administration officials regarding your health or operational control of the Department of Defense.

Austin is asked to appear before the House Committee on Armed Services at a hearing on February 14, 2024, at 10:00 a.m.

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

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