Biden blames Defense Sec Lloyd Austin for 'lack of judgement' over going AWOL, secret hospital visit

President Joe Biden offered sharp criticism of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Friday over his decision not to notify the administration about his recent hospitalization for complications surrounding prostate cancer surgery as a "lack of judgment."

During a visit to Allentown, Pennsylvania, Biden was asked by a reporter, according to the Daily Mail, if he had confidence in Austin after the hospitalization was revealed.

"I do," Biden responded.

Pressed further, Biden was asked if he believed Austin not informing the White House or other Pentagon officials about his absence was a "lack of judgment."

Biden responded, "Yes."

On Friday, the Pentagon reported that Austin is in "good condition" at Walter Reed Medical Center, where he is "actively engaged" in supervising and directing the US military's involvement in strikes against Houthi targets and has maintained communication with senior staff.

On Sunday, it was revealed that the nation's most senior military official, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, was hospitalized for multiple days and never informed President Biden, or other high-ranking senior officials, including those in the Pentagon. Biden learned about Austin's hospitalization the same day as the American public.

Austin, 70, was admitted to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Jan. 1 after suffering "complications following a recent elective medical procedure," the Pentagon said, the Associated Press reports.

Austin went AWOL for multiple days despite heightened international tensions and an increase in demands of the Dept. of Defense. Austin's duties require him to be available at a moment's call.

The lack of disclosure, which goes against established practice, raised questions about the severity of the military leader's illness, why he did not inform other senior officials, and whether or not the Pentagon had a plan in place for his absence.

Republicans in Congress have expressed significant outrage, claiming that the DoD "deliberately" withheld Austin's medical condition in a "shocking defiance of the law."

The Department of Defense said on Saturday that they did not make Austin's condition public due to medical privacy. The Pentagon also stated that Kathleen Hicks, the Deputy Defense Secretary, is available to stand in for Austin "at all times." However, reports indicated that Hicks was on vacation in Puerto Rico during Austin's hospitalization, according to CNN.