Four of Austin’s aides waited two days to tell the White House about his hospitalization

Four top aides to Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III were informed last Tuesday that he had been hospitalized a day earlier, but did not notify the White House until two days later, the Pentagon said Monday.

The aides were notified last Tuesday that Mr. Austin was being rushed by ambulance to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, but said nothing to White House officials pending updates on the medical Secretary’s condition, Maj. Gen. Patrick S. Ryder, the Pentagon spokesman, told reporters.

In addition to General Ryder, the aides are Kelly E. Magsamen, Mr. Austin’s chief of staff, and Lt. Gen. Ronald Clark, the secretary’s top military aide. General Ryder said a fourth aide, Chris Meagher, the assistant to the secretary of public affairs, had notified him.

Mr. Austin remained in the hospital Monday but was in “good condition” and conducting official business, General Ryder said. The Pentagon has declined to release details of the medical procedure.

Despite criticism over the handling of the situation, President Biden has full confidence in his Defense secretary, said John F. Kirby, a White House national security spokesman.

“The president’s primary focus is on the secretary’s recovery, and he looks forward to seeing him back at the Pentagon as soon as possible,” he said. “The President respects the fact that Secretary Austin has taken responsibility for the lack of transparency. He also respects the great work he has done.”

“There is no plan other than for Secretary Austin to remain in office.”

The Department of Defense is conducting an internal review of the processes and procedures for notifying the White House and Congress if a Secretary of Defense is hospitalized or otherwise incapacitated, General Ryder said.

General Ryder told The New York Times on Sunday that because Ms. Magsamen was ill, she was not able to notify other Pentagon and White House officials until Thursday. At that point, he said, Ms. Magsamen informed Kathleen Hicks, the deputy defense secretary, and Jake Sullivan, Mr. Biden’s national security adviser, of Mr. Austin’s hospitalization.

General Ryder told reporters at the Pentagon that after being informed of Mr. Austin’s hospitalization last Tuesday, he concluded he was “not at liberty” to make that information public.

“I should have pushed harder to get an update and pushed for a public acknowledgment sooner,” General Ryder said. “I have no excuse.”

Despite the 70-minute briefing at the Pentagon on Monday, many questions remain about Mr. Austin’s medical condition and why officials, lawmakers and even other top Pentagon officials were not notified sooner.

Also unclear is how and when the secretary’s responsibilities were delegated to Ms. Hicks and why days passed before Mr. Biden and Congress were notified.

Mr. Austin made a brief statement on Saturday evening after speaking with Mr. Biden earlier in the day.

“I recognize that I could have done better to ensure the public was properly informed,” he said. “I am committed to doing better.”

Mr Austin added: “This was my medical procedure and I take full responsibility for my decision to disclose.”

General Ryder’s account was the latest version of a shifting narrative the Pentagon has presented to the public since it announced late Friday that Mr. Austin was in the hospital suffering from complications from an elective medical procedure in late December.

At 5:03 p.m. Friday, General Ryder issued a simple statement saying that Mr. Austin had been in the hospital all week due to unspecified complications following an unspecified medical procedure. “The Deputy Minister of Defense was at all times prepared to act for the Minister and exercise the Minister’s powers if necessary,” the statement said.

No mention was made of the fact that the Deputy Secretary, Ms. Hicks, was on vacation in Puerto Rico and had only found out that Mr. Austin was in the hospital the day before.

On Saturday, senior administration officials said no one at the White House had been informed that Mr. Austin had been hospitalized until Thursday. A US official said senior Pentagon officials, including Ms Magsamen, were not informed until Thursday, after which she told the White House.

On Sunday, Pentagon officials said that Gen. Charles Q. Brown, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had been briefed by his staff the day after Mr. Austin entered the hospital. But they said Ms. Hicks was not told that Mr. Austin had been admitted to hospital until Thursday.

Senator Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, on Monday joined Congress’ growing calls for accountability.

“Given the extremely serious military decisions facing the United States, including attacks on our forces by Iranian-backed proxies, the war in the Middle East, and Russia’s continued aggression in Ukraine, it is inexplicable that the state of minister remains hidden. in secret,” she said in a statement. “I wish him a speedy recovery, but I also believe he needs to be candid about the nature of his illness and his ability to do his job.”

Senator Jack Reed, Democrat of Rhode Island and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, also wished Mr. Austin “a speedy and full recovery.”

He added: “This lack of disclosure must never happen again. I am closely monitoring the situation and the Ministry of Defense is well aware of my interest in all relevant information.”

Pieter Bakker reporting contributed.