In the past few weeks, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has sparked widespread attention and discussion for failing to disclose the news of his hospitalization due to illness in a timely manner. Austin was admitted to hospital on Jan. 1 with complications following minor surgery and was transferred to the intensive care unit. However, the news was not communicated to the White House and Congress until days later, a delay that caused concern among the public, the White House, and Congress, and underscored the importance of transparency at the top levels of government.
The Pentagon told National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan about the news days after Austin was hospitalized, and Sullivan then told President Joe Biden. This approach by the Pentagon has been widely criticized from politicians to the media and is seen as a major failure to be transparent and timely informed. Especially in the context of Austin's key role in national security, the delay has raised questions about the Pentagon's transparency.
On the evening of Jan. 5, Austin resumed full duty but remained in the hospital for treatment. This decision may have been based on his health condition that allowed him to perform his duties remotely, but still required medical observation. The decision was made to balance concerns about his health with the maintenance of the normal functioning of the Ministry of Defense. However, since Austin's duties were partly assumed by his deputy, Hicks, during his hospitalization, this also sparked a discussion about how to ensure continuity of national security duties in the absence of senior officials.
Members of the US Senate Armed Services Committee and the Pentagon Press Association have expressed their displeasure with the Pentagon's handling of the situation, stressing that even the president discloses his own health. The Pentagon's secrecy practices run counter to public expectations for the right to know and transparency of health information from senior officials. Former Secretary of Defense Hagel noted that frankness and trust with the media are crucial, and the Pentagon's long silence is wrong.
The controversy over this incident shows that while there are many factors that the government must consider, timely and transparent communication is essential to maintain public trust and ensure the effective functioning of the government when dealing with similar situations. The incident may prompt the government to re-examine the way it communicates with the public, especially when it comes to the health of senior officials. This series of events highlights the complexity of government transparency and disclosure of health information by senior officials. On the one hand, there are concerns to protect personal privacy and safeguard national security, and on the other hand, there are legitimate public expectations for transparency and timely information disclosure. In the future, governments may need to find more effective ways to balance these two needs.