A timeline of Austin’s hospital fiasco: From cancer diagnosis to now

This week’s revelations that Protection Secretary Lloyd Austin was hospitalized attributable to problems from an earlier surgical procedure to deal with prostate most cancers has spurred intense scrutiny of the previous prime basic. 

Austin apparently waited a couple of month to tell President Biden of his analysis, solely telling him after the general public scandal over his secrecy was nicely underway. It additionally took days for Biden to seek out out that his Protection chief had checked into the intensive care unit earlier this month. 

Up to now, the White Home says Austin maintains the complete confidence of the president. Nonetheless, Republicans in Congress are ramping up strain on the administration to clarify why Congress, different officers and the general public had been saved at the hours of darkness for therefore lengthy. And the primary Home Democrat on Wednesday referred to as for the Protection chief to step down. 

Right here’s a timeline of what we all know up to now.

Early December 

Austin is recognized with prostate most cancers throughout a routine really useful well being screening. President Biden is just not knowledgeable and won’t be for one more month, nor will the general public. 

Friday, Dec. 22 

Austin undergoes a “minimally invasive” prostatectomy at Walter Reed Nationwide Army Medical Middle in Washington, D.C. He’s beneath basic anesthesia through the process. The Pentagon doesn’t inform the White Home or Deputy Protection Secretary Kathleen Hicks, however sure operational authorities are transferred to her. The White Home is just not knowledgeable of the switch of powers. 

Saturday, Dec. 23 

Austin returns residence the morning after the surgical procedure with an “glorious” prognosis. He intends to make money working from home all through the vacations. 

Dec. 30-31 

Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks with Austin. Blinken later says medical points didn’t come up.  

Monday, Jan. 1 

Austin joins a White Home convention name with Biden, Blinken, and nationwide safety adviser Jake Sullivan to debate “operations within the Center East.” 

Within the night, Austin experiences “nausea with extreme stomach, hip, and leg ache” attributable to problems from the sooner surgical procedure. He’s taken by ambulance to Walter Reed, accompanied solely by just a few individuals together with members of his private safety group. Preliminary analysis by medical doctors reveals a urinary tract an infection. 

Tuesday, Jan. 2 

Austin is admitted to the intensive care unit “for shut monitoring and a better degree of care.” Additional evaluations reveal stomach fluid amassing in his digestive tract, impairing the perform of his small intestines. A tube is positioned by his nostril to empty his abdomen.  

Within the afternoon, Austin as soon as once more transfers a few of his duties to Hicks “as a result of secretary’s situation and on the premise of medical recommendation.” The White Home is once more not knowledgeable. 

Hicks, vacationing in Puerto Rico, is knowledgeable of the switch of duties however is just not informed Austin is within the hospital. 

Austin’s and Hick’s employees, in addition to the Joint Chiefs of Employees — together with Chair Gen. CQ Brown — are notified the switch has occurred by way of e-mail. Brown learns Austin is within the hospital. 

Austin’s chief of employees Kelly Magsamen learns of his hospitalization. She doesn’t inform others within the Pentagon as a result of she is sick with the flu, based on the Pentagon. 

Chris Meagher, the assistant to the Protection secretary for public affairs, tells Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder that Austin is within the hospital however offers little info. Ryder is informed to face by for updates. 

Thursday, Jan. 4 

The army launches a retaliatory strike in Baghdad, killing Mushtaq Jawad Kazim al Jawari, a militia chief the U.S. blames for quite a few current assaults towards American troops within the area. Ryder later says Austin licensed the operation in December, earlier than his hospitalization. 

Within the afternoon, Magsamen, nonetheless sick with the flu, informs Hicks and Sullivan that Austin is within the hospital and had been for just a few days. Sullivan and White Home chief of employees Jeff Zients transient President Biden straight after.  

Sullivan and Zients reportedly name Magsamen, urging the Pentagon to place out a public assertion about Austin’s scenario as quickly as doable.  

Magsamen and Hicks start drafting a public assertion and interact employees on congressional outreach. Hicks plans to return to Washington however stays in Puerto Rico when informed Austin will resume his full duties the next day. 

Friday, Jan. 5 

Within the afternoon, Magsamen notifies the secretaries of the army departments, the undersecretaries and principal employees assistants of Austin’s hospitalization. 

Shortly earlier than 5 p.m., the Division of Protection notifies Congress of Austin’s hospitalization. 

At 5:03 p.m., the Pentagon releases a public assertion revealing Austin had been admitted to Walter Reed the night of Jan. 1 “for problems following a current elective medical process,” which it doesn’t disclose. The discharge notes that he’s “recovering nicely and is anticipating to renew his full duties right this moment.” 

The Pentagon Press Affiliation sends out a letter of protest over the shortage of transparency, calling the delay in alerting the general public “an outrage.” 

By Friday night, Austin had resumed his full duties from Walter Reed. 

Saturday, Jan. 6 

Going through widespread anger over his secrecy, Austin releases a press release at 5:50 p.m. acknowledging that he “may have performed a greater job guaranteeing the general public was appropriately knowledgeable.” He commits to doing higher, however asserts it was his medical process and he takes “full duty for my selections about disclosure.” 

Austin speaks with Biden within the night, an trade described by the White Home as a “cordial” dialog wherein Biden mentioned he seemed ahead to having the Pentagon chief again at work. Austin doesn’t inform the president about his most cancers analysis.  

At 7:25 p.m., Senate Armed Providers Committee rating member Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) releases a press release calling for lawmakers to be briefed “instantly” by the Pentagon on the timeline of occasions. That briefing has not occurred as of Wednesday. 

Sunday, Jan. 7 

Austin speaks with Senate Armed Providers Chair Jack Reed (D-R.I.), the lone lawmaker he has contacted for the reason that begin of his hospitalization. 

3:48 p.m. – Home Armed Providers Committee Chair Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) and rating member Adam Smith (D-Wash.) put out a joint assertion demanding Austin rapidly present Congress “extra particulars on his well being and the decision-making course of that occurred up to now week,” together with “how and when the delegation of the Secretary’s obligations had been made, and the rationale for the delay in notification to the President and Congress.” 

4:24 p.m. – Ryder says in a press release Austin stays hospitalized however “has obtained operational updates and has offered obligatory steerage to his group.” He has additionally been involved with Hicks, Brown and his senior employees. 

7:15 p.m. – Former President Trump in a Fact Social publish requires Austin to be “fired instantly for improper skilled conduct and dereliction of responsibility.” 

Monday, Jan. 8 

The White Home says Biden isn’t contemplating firing Austin, however that he’ll take a look at whether or not processes and procedures had been correctly adopted to see if modifications have to be made.  

Zients asks Cupboard secretaries in a memo to evaluation how they delegate authority and reminds businesses to inform the White Home in “occasion of a delegation of authority or potential delegation.” 

At 10:07 a.m., Home GOP Convention Chair Elise Stefanik (N.Y.) requires Austin to be fired in a press release. 

Ryder holds an off-camera briefing with media within the afternoon to offer extra particulars concerning the timeline of occasions, revealing that he came upon about Austin’s hospitalization on Jan. 2. He apologizes, takes private duty for the breakdown in communications and pledges to maintain the Pentagon press corps higher knowledgeable. 

Ryder additionally publicizes an inner Protection Division evaluation for the way it can enhance its processes for White Home and congressional notifications. 

Ryder says neither Austin nor any of his employees plan to resign.  

7:38 p.m. – Rogers says on X, the platform previously often known as Twitter, that he’s “rapidly dropping religion in Sec Austin’s capability to guide [the Pentagon] on this turbulent time.” 

8:43 p.m. – Pentagon releases a memorandum outlining a 30-day evaluation of the Protection Division’s notification insurance policies. 

Tuesday, Jan. 9 

Austin informs the White Home of his most cancers analysis within the morning. Biden is informed by chief of employees Zients, based on Kirby. 

2:15 p.m. – Pentagon releases a press release from Austin’s medical doctors at Walter Reed, who disclose his prostate most cancers analysis from early December, the Dec. 22 surgical procedure and a quick timeline of his ongoing hospital keep that started Jan. 1.  

The White Home holds its every day briefing, throughout which Kirby says “no person on the White Home knew that Secretary Austin had prostate most cancers till this morning.” 

4:23 p.m. – In a press release, Wicker requires accountability and denounces the Pentagon’s inner evaluation as “woefully insufficient” provided that it was “ordered by the identical Chief of Employees who performed an element on this disaster.” 

5 p.m. – Rogers, the Home Armed Providers chair, publicizes he has launched a proper inquiry into Austin’s failure to reveal his hospitalization, sending letters to the Pentagon chief, Hicks and Magsamen “in search of info and full transparency on the occasions that transpired.” 

7:29 p.m. – Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.) formally submits articles of impeachment towards Austin, asserting the transfer in a video posted to X. 

Wednesday, Jan. 10 

12:30 p.m. – Republicans on the Senate Armed Providers Committee ship a letter to Austin, demanding an in depth timeline of occasions associated to his “incapacitation” and hospitalization. 

3:18 p.m. – The Pentagon says Austin stays hospitalized at Walter Reed. 

3:42 p.m. – Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.), presently in a aggressive race for reelection, turns into the primary congressional Democrat to name for Austin’s ouster, relaying on X that he has misplaced belief within the Pentagon’s management “as a result of lack of transparency.”