Stuart Varney: America needs to know why Lloyd Austin went AWOL
Secretary of Defense broke chain of command by not immediately reporting his ailment to Biden, Varney argues
Stuart Varney: America needs to know why Lloyd Austin went AWOL
Varney & Co. host Stuart Varney argues Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin broke the chain of command by not immediately telling Biden about the ailment that landed him in the hospital.
During his "My Take," Tuesday, "Varney & Co." host Stuart Varney criticized Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin for keeping the White House in the dark about his mystery medical procedure, arguing the delay in informing Biden of his hospitalization is a breakdown in the chain of command at a time of war.
STUART VARNEY: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is still hospitalized.
He's been there since New Year's Day.
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We don't know why he's there, and we don't know why there was a delay in informing the president.
We'd better find out because for days there was a breakdown in the chain of command, at a time when American troops were under attack.
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First, the mysterious elective medical procedure that put Austin in the hospital right before Christmas.
What procedure was it? Austin says it's private. Sorry, but you're a very public figure.
You're the defense secretary in a time of war.
The public needs to know the nature of your illness, and whether it interferes with your decision-making.
Second, why the delay in telling the president? The chair of the joint chiefs knew.
We don't know why he didn't immediately tell the commander-in-chief.
Joe Biden delivers remarks on the U.S. military’s ongoing evacuation efforts in Afghanistan as he is joined by U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and White House National Secu (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images / Getty Images)
The Pentagon Press Secretary Major Gen. Patrick Ryder was asked if Austin had told people to be quiet.
He didn't answer directly. "That is one of the things we'll be looking at in terms of process improvement," he said.
Austin himself has taken full responsibility for the secrecy surrounding his hospitalization.
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He has apologized for the lack of disclosure. Frankly, that's just not good enough.
The administration has bungled again. It looks like amateur hour. Biden is trying to shut things down.
He says he wouldn't accept Austin's resignation even if it's offered.
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The whole thing is now part of the presidential election.
Trump says Austin has "performed poorly" and should be "fired immediately."
It's not going away. He's still hospitalized, and we don't know why he's still there or why he went AWOL.