Rep. Matt Gaetz said on Wednesday that one GOP response to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s recent disappearance is “insufficient,” especially when at least two Democrats have called for the Pentagon chief to be sent packing.
On his “Firebrand” podcast, the Fort Walton Beach Republican referenced GOP Rep. Mike Rogers’ recent letter to Austin about his hospitalization.
Austin entered the hospital on Dec. 22 for prostate surgery, and was readmitted on Jan. 1 for a subsequent infection. His second trip to the hospital was not disclosed to President Joe Biden, Austin’s No. 2, nor the American people until Jan. 5.
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In the letter, Rogers, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, noted, “Everything from on-going counterterrorism operations to nuclear command and control relies on a clear understanding of the Secretary’s decision-making capacity. The Department is a robust institution, and it is designed to function under attack by our enemies, but it is not designed for a Secretary who conceals being incapacitated.”
Rogers posed nine questions to Austin, many of which sought answers to what he told his staff about his absence, what decisions he may have made or actions he ordered while hospitalized, and any communications with the White House about what would happen while he was out of commission.
Gaetz, in response, called the letter “good” and “necessary,” but ultimately “insufficient.”
“We should be holding hearings right now … to find out what the hell happened,” said Gaetz.
The congressman noted that the letter to Austin looked tepid, considering that two Democrats — Reps. Chris Deluzio and Seth Moulton — have publicly called for Austin to resign or be fired.
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Florida Rep. Cory Mills, who was a guest on Gaetz’s podcast, criticized Austin for “willful dereliction of duty.”
“It’s not as if he didn’t know what he was doing,” Mills continued. “He vacated his seat, didn’t have responsibility, had no continuity, and committed a national security breach. Meanwhile, he’s still allowed to consider himself secretary of defense.”
“He thinks he’s above the law,” Mills added. “This about secrecy, and him withholding information that is pertinent to national security.”
“We literally have a vacancy at 1600 [Pennsylvania Ave., the address of the White House] and a vacancy at the Pentagon during a time when all our adversaries are running amok,” Mills said.
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