While Austin transferred authority of some of his duties to deputy Kathleen Hicks on January 2, Hicks did not learn Austin was hospitalized until two days later
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s decision last year to keep his hospitalization secret and remain in command while on medication that could affect brain function “unnecessarily” increased national security risks, according to a Pentagon watchdog report.
“The risks to our national defense, including the command and control of the Defense Department’s critical national security operations, were increased unnecessarily,” Inspector General Robert Storch said, though his investigation “found no adverse consequences to Defense Department operations.”
Austin was hospitalized on January 1, 2024, due to complications from a prostate cancer surgery in December and was transferred to the intensive care unit the following day.