WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden was not informed for a month that Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin had cancer, the White House said, acknowledging that the delay was an error.
National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told a briefing that he was informed by the chief of staff earlier on Tuesday morning.
The Pentagon said that the US Secretary of Defense was diagnosed early December and also underwent surgery on December 22, before being hospitalized on January 1.
According to media reports, the White House was not told that Lloyd Austin was in hospital until January 4, at a time of high tensions in the Ukraine and Middle East.
Biden Unaware of Defense Chief’s Cancer: White House
The White House maintained that Joe Biden, who is also seeking a second term in office in elections in November, was in control of his administration despite not knowing until Tuesday regarding the cancer diagnosis.
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John Kirby said that it was not optimal for a situation like this to go as long as it did without the commander-in-chief knowing regarding it or the national security adviser knowing regarding it, or frankly other top leaders at the Department of Defense. He said that it was not the way this was supposed to take place… It was not good. He maintained that they wanted to make sure that it would not happen again.
Joe Biden ordered a series of military actions during that period including a strike on an Iraqi militia commander, while US troops had shot down missiles fired by rebels in the Red Sea. He further said that Joe Biden had a full confidence in Lloyd Austin and was looking forward to having him back at the Department.
