White House wasn't notified of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's hospitalization for several days

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has been hospitalized since Jan. 1 due to complications from a medical procedure, it was publicly revealed Friday. However, CBS News has learned that the National Security Council and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan were unaware of Austin's hospitalization until Thursday.

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[poppystars]

Don’t worry Raytheon makes all his decisions for him anyway.

[jonhardin.]

You telling me they didn’t know one of the most important people in our government was basically MIA for a few days and had no idea, yeah, right.

[sushibar]

This is absolutely crazy! The Defense Secretary is in the chain of command. He is not some peripheral government functionary.

[Darkmattermonkey]

Holy s**t.
If I’m missing from work for even 1 day, my bosses are texting and calling to find out where I am and if I’m taking leave.

[mikechandler]

That a big problem when the guy that is responsible for our national defense feels that the president didn’t need to know.

[dcorman]

Tell me you're a non-essential DEI appointee without telling me you're non-essential DEI appointee.

[Homesteadturcke]

Shows ya just how hard this guy works every day. No one noticed him missing for days 😂

[ralphrotten]

WTF? Are we to believe that A) no one noticed him MIA …….. and B) no one thought to inform the administration that the secretary of defense is incapacitated in the hospital?? This goes way beyond “lack of transparency “. This is full blown irresponsible

[tonysmith]

Most transparent Administration in history LOL

[donwilson]

Not only Austin should be fired, but so should the person who was next in charge while Austin was gone FOR 4 DAYS!!! That is flat out derliction of duty.

[royduffey]

The Americans that lost their lives in the Afghanistan retreat weren't aware of the Secretary abandoning them and not doing his job that time either.

[ronaldorivers]

Makes you wonder who is really running all these departments with their own agendas.

[JerjerB]

Scary to think of the lack of communication.

[JoseMendez-qixt]

Don't worry folks, the actual people in power were aware.

[michaelrs]

He takes full responsibility for his decisions about disclosure? So you're the Secretary of Defense and you don't bother to tell the the president and his team that you're going to be out of commission for a few days? This White House gets wilder and wilder by the moment.

[JosephPetrie-udwh]

C'mon this is beyond incompetence and just plane scary. What else is not being communicated. Who is doing what? Who is in control?

[whitehaze]

Apparently the white house didn't miss him, but Joe takes it very seriously.

[JimKoonz]

Its OK, Joe Biden referred to Gen. Austin as "the guy that runs that...organization over there"!

[SeattleMommy]

Nobody noticed he was gone!? Also goes to show how oblivious the WH is

[EricSchryver]

Hell, the "president" doesn't even know the guy's name.