Joe Biden has no plans to fire Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, according to comments to reporters Monday morning by White House Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre and National Security Council spokesman John Kirby.
Kirby said Biden “looks forward to having him back at the Pentagon as soon as possible” and that Biden “respects the fact that Secretary Austin took ownership for the lack of transparency. He also respects the amazing job he’s done as Defense Secretary…”
Kirby said he does not know if Biden knows the details of Austin’s illness. Biden spoke with Austin on Saturday several days after he learned about Austin’s secret hospitalization. Biden has expressed no anger or disappointment at being humiliated over being exposed as not having full control of his administration.
Biden is standing by Austin after he kept his hospitalization in the ICU last week a secret from Biden, White House staff, Congress and senior Pentagon officials such that even even Austin’s vacationing deputy did not know for three days he was incapacitated.
Austin has yet to disclose the nature of his illness except to say through a spokesman it resulted due to complications from an elective medical procedure that took place on December 22. Austin was taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland on New Year’s Day where he remains. He resumed his duties on Friday after being incapacitated for several days in the ICU. The Pentagon said Sunday that Austin has opted to stay in the ICU for “privacy” reasons even though he no longer needs that level of care.
Audio clips of Jean Pierre and Kirby briefing reporters during a gaggle on Air Force One as Biden flew to Charleston, South Carolina Monday morning, posted by the RNC. Both spokespersons dodged direct answers except to make clear Biden will not be firing Austin:
“Does the president know what elective surgery [Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin] has, even though the American people don’t know?”
KIRBY: “I don’t know the level of the president’s personal knowledge of his medical situation” pic.twitter.com/r4fqVZXIS4
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 8, 2024
“Did Sec. Austin meet the president’s own standard of transparency? … And if Pres. Biden had to have some kind of medical procedure, is the WH committed to releasing that information to the public?”
KIRBY: “You’re a little out of my lane” pic.twitter.com/qv9sXn4Fsv
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 8, 2024
Biden NSC spokesman John Kirby on Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin being incapacitated for days without telling anybody:
“As you might expect, we’ll take a look at process and procedure here and try to learn from this experience…” pic.twitter.com/tcHRsCp3ho
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 8, 2024
John Kirby says Biden “respects” how Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin “has handled multiple crises over the last three years,” so he won’t be fired pic.twitter.com/uObNPoue1a
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 8, 2024
“Should the American people have confidence in [Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin], given his lack of transparency?”
KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: “The president continues to have complete confidence” pic.twitter.com/LAMCdP28Mq
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 8, 2024
Biden did not answer a reporter’s shouted question about Austin when he arrived in Charleston to give a race-baiting campaign speech targeting President Trump at the site of the 2015 racist massacre of nine Black churchgoers, Mother Emanuel Church :
A predictably confused Biden has arrived in Charleston, South Carolina.
He did not respond to questions about his knowledge of his incapacitated defense secretary. pic.twitter.com/HV5bU6iJ7o
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 8, 2024
