Pentagon report clears Austin of any attempts to hide information

A Pentagon report on the hospitalization of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and the temporary transfer of authority during that time found no evidence of wrongdoing or deception, according to officials.

The review, conducted by the director of the Office of Administration and Management, highlighted three significant restrictions on Austin’s staff during his hospitalization for complications from a procedure related to prostate cancer treatment.

“First, medical privacy laws prevented medical providers from freely sharing information with the Secretary’s staff,” the review stated. “Second, due to privacy concerns, his staff hesitated to inquire or share any information they did receive. Third, the Secretary’s medical condition was unstable, making secure communication difficult while he was in the Critical Care Unit.”

Austin has accepted all eight recommendations from the review, which include implementing training and communication plans to ensure officers and their staff are informed of their responsibilities during a transfer of authority.

“These actions underscore our commitment to improving internal processes promptly,” Austin stated in a memo detailing the review’s recommendations on Monday. “As I have stated before, we are continuously learning and will enhance our procedures as needed.”

Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder mentioned in a statement: “The chiefs of staff for the Secretary and Deputy Secretary have issued guidelines and expectations for sharing information with the Deputy Secretary and immediate staff.”