{"id":2144150,"date":"2024-01-09T09:37:02","date_gmt":"2024-01-09T14:37:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/austins-job-safe-but-reputation-tarnished-after-health-crisis-cover-up\/"},"modified":"2024-01-09T09:44:18","modified_gmt":"2024-01-09T14:44:18","slug":"austins-job-safe-but-reputation-tarnished-after-health-crisis-cover-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/austins-job-safe-but-reputation-tarnished-after-health-crisis-cover-up\/","title":{"rendered":"Austin&#8217;s job secure, but reputation damaged by health crisis concealment"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Faustins-job-safe-but-reputation-tarnished-after-health-crisis-cover-up%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2144150&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>IT\u2019S THE COVER-UP THAT GETS YOU<\/h2>\n<p>Defense Secretary Lloyd \u200bAustin\u200b remains in \u2063the hospital this morning, eight days after suffering severe pain following an undisclosed medical procedure, and is still facing bipartisan opprobrium for attempting to keep his health crisis secret, even from his boss President Joe Biden.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cI remain concerned that vital chain of command and notification procedures were not followed while the \u2063secretary was under medical care. \u200bHe is taking responsibility for the situation,\u2063 but this was a serious incident, and there needs to be transparency and accountability\u2064 from the department,\u201d Sen. Jack \u2063Reed (D-RI), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a statement. \u201cThis lack \u200dof disclosure must\u2062 never happen again.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The Pentagon has yet to disclose the nature of the elective procedure Austin underwent\u200c on Dec. 22 or give any details \u200babout the subsequent complication other than to say he was\u200d \u201cin a \u2063lot \u2063of pain\u201d but is now back on the job from his hospital\u200b bed.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cThe secretary currently remains hospitalized \u2064at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and is recovering \u200bwell and in good spirits,\u201d Maj. Gen. Pat\u200c Ryder, the Pentagon\u2019s chief spokesman, said. \u201cHe is \u2063no longer in the Intensive Care Unit but is recovering in a more private \u200darea of\u2064 the hospital. He continues to experience discomfort, but\u2064 his prognosis is good.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3>LLOYD AUSTIN HOSPITALIZATION: TIMELINE OF HOW\u200c WHITE HOUSE WAS LEFT IN THE DARK<\/h3>\n<blockquote>\n<p>RYDER: \u2018I KNOW WHAT RIGHT LOOKS LIKE\u2019<\/p>\n<p>In a lengthy off-camera session with Pentagon reporters yesterday, \u200dRyder \u200dacknowledged he did not\u200d serve his boss or the public well by \u2063failing to disclose Austin\u2019s hospitalization when he was told about it the day after it\u2062 occurred.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cI recognize\u2064 that I should have tried to learn\u200d more and to press for an earlier public acknowledgment,\u201d Ryder said.\u200b \u201cSo I offer my apologies and my pledge to learn\u200d from \u200bthis experience.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cIn\u200d retrospect, I should have\u2063 asked those harder questions,\u201d he \u2064said. \u200c\u201cI can tell you \u200bpersonally and professionally, again,\u200d I\u2019ve been doing public affairs for a very long time, \u200dand so \u2063I know what right\u200c looks like, and even\u200b though you do this for a while, you can continue to learn. And so, \u200bI will do better next time. That\u2019s \u200bmy pledge to you all.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, National Security Council spokesman \u200dJohn Kirby\u2064 said the president \u201crespects the fact that Secretary\u2064 Austin took ownership for the \u200black of transparency\u201d and insisted his job was safe.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201c[Biden] \u2062 respects the amazing job\u200b he\u2019s done as defense secretary and how\u200c he\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/despite-assurances-from-the-white-house-washington-cant-stop-talking-about-replacing-biden\/\" title=\"Despite Assurances From The White House, Washington Can\u2019t Stop Talking About Replacing Biden\">handled multiple crises<\/a> over the last almost three years now and very much values his advice, candor, leadership,\u201d Kirby said. \u201cThere is no plan for anything other than for Secretary Austin\u2064 to stay in the job and continue in the leadership that he\u2019s been demonstrating.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3>WHITE HOUSE TO \u2018LOOK AT\u2062 PROCESS AND PROCEDURE\u2019 OF LLOYD AUSTIN\u2019S SECRET \u200dHOSPITALIZATION<\/h3>\n<blockquote>\n<p>THE FALLOUT IS NOT OVER<\/p>\n<p>While\u2064 Austin has\u2063 taken responsibility \u2062for the debacle and promised to do better, the failure \u2064to follow normal protocol has raised \u200cquestions about Austin\u2019s chief of \u200bstaff, Kelly \u200bMagsamen, whose responsibility it would have been to make the necessary notifications. Magsamen, who\u2063 was out sick, was informed of Austin\u2019s hospitalization on Jan. 2 but didn\u2019t tell the White House until Jan. 4.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cI work every day with Chief Magsamen and you\u2019re not going to meet anybody\u200b that works harder than\u200c her. And she was ill with the flu,\u201d Ryder told reporters. \u201cAnd so not\u200c standing up here looking to make excuses other than, you know, the explanation for why\u2063 there was a delay and the \u200cfact that we know we can\u200b do better and we\u2019re committed to doing better so.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>On Capitol Hill, some Republicans have jumped on the failure to call for Austin\u2019s firing or resignation. \u201cIt is\u200d shocking and absolutely unacceptable that the \u200dDepartment of Defense waited multiple days to notify the\u2062 president, the National Security Council, and the American people that\u2062 Defense Secretary Austin was hospitalized and unable to perform \u2062his duties,\u201d said Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY). \u201cThis concerning lack of transparency exemplifies a shocking lack of judgment and a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/serious-concerns-gop-leaders-demand-answers-over-russians-illegally-crossing-americas-southern-border\/\" title=\"\u2018Serious Concerns\u2019: GOP Leaders Demand Answers Over Russians Illegally Crossing America\u2019s Southern Border\">significant national security threat<\/a>. There must be full accountability beginning with the immediate resignation\u2063 of Secretary Austin and those that lied for him and a congressional investigation \u200dinto this dangerous dereliction of duty.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-MT) went a step\u2062 further, filing articles of impeachment against Austin, alleging action \u200bamounted to \u201chigh \u2062crimes and misdemeanors.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSec. Austin has violated his oath of office time and time again and \u200dhas jeopardized the lives\u2062 of the American people,\u201d Rosendale said, accusing Austin of lying about the Chinese spy balloon that overflew his state last year and again\u200d about his health.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Pentagon said Austin has not offered \u200dhis resignation to the president and has no intention of stepping down.<\/p>\n<h3>EDITORIAL: AUSTIN GOES AWOL<\/h3>\n<p>Good \u2064Tuesday morning and welcome\u2062 to Jamie \u2063McIntyre\u2019s Daily on Defense, \u200dwritten and compiled by Washington Examiner National\u200b Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Conrad Hoyt. Email here\u200c with tips,\u2064 suggestions, calendar items,\u2062 and anything else. Sign up or read current\u200c and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. If \u2062signing \u2063up doesn\u2019t work, shoot us\u2064 an\u200d email and we\u2019ll add you to our list. And be \u200bsure to follow me on Threads and\/or\u200b on X @jamiejmcintyre<\/p>\n<p>CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP OR READ BACK ISSUES OF \u200bDAILY ON DEFENSE<\/p>\n<p>NOTE TO READERS: Email delivery of Daily on Defense has been \u200cpaused as we upgrade the system\u2063 we use to email the newsletter out to tens of thousands of subscribers each weekday morning. For the time \u200bbeing, the newsletter will publish \u2063on the Washington Examiner website \u2063and can be found at DailyonDefense.com.<\/p>\n<p>HAPPENING TODAY: Former President Donald Trump \u200dplans to \u200battend \u200dthis morning\u2019s arguments before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in the landmark case in which the \u2063ex-president claims he \u2064enjoys total immunity for any actions while in office, including charges that \u200che\u2063 worked to overturn the results \u200dof the 2020 election that he lost.<\/p>\n<p>The appeals court ruling\u2064 will likely set the stage for the Supreme Court to settle the\u2064 issue later this year. Meanwhile, the March 4 criminal case against Trump \u2063brought by special counsel Jack Smith\u200b has been \u200bpaused until the courts resolve the\u2062 constitutional question.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA president who unlawfully seeks to retain power through criminal \u200bmeans\u2062 unchecked by potential criminal prosecution could jeopardize both \u2063the presidency itself and the very foundations \u200bof our \u200cdemocratic system of\u2062 governance,\u201d Smith\u2019s team wrote in a legal \u2064brief filed prior to the court hearing. \u201cImmunity from \u200bcriminal prosecution would be particularly dangerous where, as here, the former president is alleged to have engaged in criminal conduct aimed \u2064at \u2062overturning\u200b the results of a presidential election to remain in office beyond the allotted term.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOf course I was entitled, as President of the United States\u200d and Commander in Chief, to Immunity,\u201d Trump wrote in \u200ca <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/why-this-average-american-is-voting-for-donald-trump\/\" title=\"Why This Average American Is Voting for Donald Trump\">social media post<\/a>. \u201cI was looking for voter fraud, and finding it, which is\u200d my obligation to do, and otherwise running our Country.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>TRUMP BID\u2064 FOR IMMUNITY REJECTED IN E. JEAN CARROLL\u2064 CASE, MAKING SUPREME COURT LAST OPTION<\/p>\n<p>BLINKEN IN ISRAEL: Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in \u2062Israel, where he has told \u2063Israeli President Isaac Herzog that he has secured commitments from four Arab nations and\u200c Turkey to help rebuild Gaza after the war.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve \u200cjust come from a number of countries in the region \u2013 T\u00fcrkiye, \u2062Greece, Jordan, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia \u2064\u2013 and I want to be able to share some of what I heard from those leaders with the president,\u2062 as well as with the prime minister and the \u2063Cabinet later today,\u201d Blinken said. \u201cAnd, of course, we\u2019ll have an opportunity to sit with the families of some of the hostages and discuss our relentless efforts to bring everyone home and back with their families.<\/p>\n<p>Blinken continues to press Israel to transition to a more precise, targeted offensive aimed\u200b at Hamas leaders while limiting destruction and civilian deaths. But Israel has vowed to keep going \u200duntil it has destroyed Hamas.<\/p>\n<p>At a campaign event in Charleston, South Carolina, President Joe\u2063 Biden was interrupted \u2062by a protester who\u2064 shouted that if Biden really cared about Palestinian lives, he would call for a ceasefire.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLook, folks, I understand you\u2019re \u2014 I understand their passion,\u201d \u2064Biden told the crowd at the Mother Emanuel AME Church. \u201cAnd I\u2019ve been quietly\u200b working \u2014 I\u2019ve been quietly working with the Israeli government to get them to reduce and significantly get out of Gaza, using all that I can \u2063to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>ISRAEL\u2019S HERZOG UNVEILS ALLEGED HAMAS MEMO DETAILING \u2018TERRORIST SUMMER CAMPS\u2019<\/p>\n<p>REALITY \u2064CHECK: The $1.59 topline\u2064 budget deal that House Speaker \u200bMike Johnson (R-LA) made with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) over the weekend is not going down well with many House Republicans,\u200b who \u200dargue that\u2062 Democrats have barely made any concessions, especially when it comes to\u200d border\u200d security.<\/p>\n<p>Some, such as \u200bRep. Chip Roy (R-TX), are still threatening to shut down the government \u2064in less than two weeks if the Senate doesn\u2019t agree to the amnesty reform contained\u2064 in H.R. 2, the House border bill passed last year.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s \u2062the\u200b only\u200c tool we have,\u201d Roy said on Fox yesterday. \u201cI\u2019m not trying to \u200drattle about shutdown for the\u2064 sake of it, but\u2064 the people I represent, they\u2019re like, \u2018Good lord, shut down the border or shut down the government until you wake up President Biden.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t think we should be funding the government without getting change,\u201d Roy said. \u201cI sure don\u2019t think we ought\u2063 to be giving more money to Ukraine without \u2062forcing the \u200cchange at the border\u200d we need to.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt some point, being in the majority has to matter,\u201d Rep. Nancy\u2062 Mace (R-SC) \u200dsaid on Fox. \u201cRight now, all we have is a top-line number\u2026 The devil is always \u2064in the\u200c details. And if this deal is anything like the\u2062 horrific debt ceiling deal last year, it\u2019s going to be a very painful pill \u2062for Republicans to swallow.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But Democrats argue they hold the cards when it comes to preventing\u200b a government shutdown.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI \u200cactually tip my hat to the new speaker for yielding to reality. No budget can pass the\u2064 House of \u200cRepresentatives without overwhelming Democratic support. That is a fact of the math,\u201d Rep.\u2063 Gerry Connolly (D-VA)\u2064 said on CNN. \u201cIt\u2019s going to create problems for him, just like it did Kevin\u2064 McCarthy on the right \u200bside of his caucus, which is never happy with any budget agreement or with any\u200c appropriations bill. And \u2064he\u2019s got to bypass them and risk his own speakership in doing so. So I think, \u200cyou know, \u2063he deserves credit for at least \u200drecognizing the reality and making sure that we can come to an agreement that keeps the government open.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDemocrats time and time again have stepped forward when it was necessary to ensure the proper function of government,\u201d Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) said\u2063 on MSNBC. \u200d\u201cSo, my expectation is, \u2064as long as Speaker Johnson brings this \u200cbill to the floor, it will pass, and it will \u200dlikely, as has \u2062been the case in prior continuing resolutions and in prior efforts to avoid catastrophe, the vast majority or at least the majority of those votes will likely come from Democrats.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER<\/p>\n<p>THE RUNDOWN:<\/p>\n<p>Washington Examiner: White House to \u2018look at process and procedure\u2019 of Lloyd \u2064Austin\u2019s secret hospitalization<\/p>\n<p>Washington Examiner: Lloyd Austin hospitalization: \u200dTimeline of how White House was left in \u200dthe dark<\/p>\n<p>Washington Examiner: Editorial: Austin \u200dgoes AWOL<\/p>\n<p>Washington\u200b Examiner: Embattled \u2064Mayorkas makes rare appeal to border agents amid worsening crisis<\/p>\n<p>Washington Examiner: Senate Republicans schedule Wednesday briefing on the \u200dborder<\/p>\n<p>Washington Examiner: Arizona Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs blasts border security failures under Biden term<\/p>\n<p>Washington \u2063Examiner: Israel\u2019s Herzog unveils\u200b alleged Hamas memo detailing \u2018terrorist summer\u2064 camps\u2019<\/p>\n<p>CNN: Marine Corps Says Commandant Underwent Successful Open-Heart Surgery<\/p>\n<p>Bloomberg: US Intelligence Shows Flawed China Missiles Led Xi to Purge Army<\/p>\n<p>Washington Times: Taiwan\u2019s Defense \u2064Ministry issues an alert saying China has launched a satellite and urging caution<\/p>\n<p>AP: China sanctions 5\u200d US defense companies in response to\u200d US sanctions and arms sales to Taiwan<\/p>\n<p>Wall Street Journal: Chinese Intelligence Says It Has Detained Spy Hired by Britain<\/p>\n<p>Air \u200cForce Times: US Air Force\u2062 Logistics Officer Talks Basing, Drones in the Pacific<\/p>\n<p>Task &#038; Purpose: Iraq\u2019s\u2063 Prime Minister Seeks to\u200c End US Troop Presence Following Baghdad Strike<\/p>\n<p>AP: With each strike, fears grow that \u2064Israel, \u2064the US and Iran\u2019s allies \u200care inching\u200b closer to all-out war<\/p>\n<p>New York Times: \u2062After Niger Coup, US Scrambles to Keep a Vital Air Base<\/p>\n<p>AP:\u2062 US Fighter Jets Fly over Bosnia in a Sign of Support to the Country as Serbs Call for Secession<\/p>\n<p>Military.com: Wanted: Airmen\u200d and Guardians Urged to Apply to\u200c Grueling Army Ranger School<\/p>\n<p>Breaking Defense: \u2018Urgent Need\u2019: Army \u2018Space Vision\u2019 Calls \u200bfor New Investment in\u200c Kit, Personnel<\/p>\n<p>Air \u200b&#038; Space Forces Magazine: SDA Selects a New Contractor to Build 18 More\u2063 Transport Layer Satellites<\/p>\n<p>Air &#038; Space Forces Magazine: Red Skies: Space Force Launches New Orbital Warfare Exercise<\/p>\n<p>DefenseScoop: Space Force Taps Microsoft to Build Cloud-Based, Simulated Space Environment<\/p>\n<p>Air \u200d&#038; Space Forces Magazine: PHOTOS: 8 U-2 Planes Featured in Rare Elephant Walk at Beale<\/p>\n<p>Forbes: Opinion: Military Threats Are Growing, But Military Spending May Not Follow Suit<\/p>\n<p>THE CALENDAR:<\/p>\n<p>TUESDAY | JANUARY 9<\/p>\n<p>9:30\u200c a.m.\u200c 333 Constitution Ave. \u2062NW \u2014 U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit holds oral arguments for United \u2064States of America v. Donald J. Trump. Audio livestream at https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/USCourtsCADC<\/p>\n<p>9 \u2062a.m. \u2014 Center for Strategic and International\u200c Studies and the Japan Institute of International Affairs virtual 2024 U.S.-Japan\u2064 Security\u200d Seminar,\u201d with Japanese Foreign Affairs Minister Kamikawa Yoko (via video); former\u2062 Assistant Secretary \u2062of Defense \u2064for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs David \u200cShear, CSIS senior associate non-resident Japan chair; \u2064Kazuyoshi Umemoto, president of the Japan \u200bFoundation; J. Thomas Schieffer, founder and president of Envoy International LLC; and Christopher Johnstone, CSIS senior adviser and Japan chair https:\/\/www.csis.org\/events\/2024-us-japan-security-seminar<\/p>\n<p>10 a.m. \u2014 Atlantic Council virtual discussion:\u00a0 \u201cThe \u200dmyth of the failed counteroffensive and accommodating an aggressive Kremlin,\u201d with retired Air\u2064 Force\u200b Gen. Philip Breedlove, former supreme allied commander Europe; Luke Coffey, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute; Hanna Shelest, director of security programs at the Foreign Policy Council\u2019s Ukrainian Prism, editor-in-chief of UA: Ukraine Analytica; and \u200cJohn Herbst, \u200dsenior director of the Atlantic Council\u2019s Eurasia Center https:\/\/www.atlanticcouncil.org\/event\/the-myth-of-the-failed-counteroffensive<\/p>\n<p>11:30 a.m. \u2014 Center for Strategic and International Studies \u200cWadhwani Center\u200d for AI and \u200bAdvanced Technologies virtual discussion: \u201cThe State of DOD AI and Autonomy Policy,\u201d with Michael Horowitz, deputy assistant secretary of defense for force development \u2063and \u200cemerging capabilities https:\/\/www.csis.org\/events\/state-dod-ai-and-autonomy-policy<\/p>\n<p>12 p.m.\u200b 2799 Richmond Hwy., Arlington, Virginia \u2014 Surface Navy Association 36th National Symposium, with Vice Adm. Brendan McLane,\u200d commander, Naval Surface Forces, U.S. \u200cPacific Fleet; and Chief of Naval Operations Adm.\u2063 Lisa Franchetti delivers keynote address\u2062 https:\/\/navysnaevents.org\/national-symposium<\/p>\n<p>6:30 p.m. \u2014\u00a0House of Representatives returns<\/p>\n<p>WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 10<\/p>\n<p>9 a.m. 2799 Richmond Highway, Arlington, Virginia \u2014 Surface Navy\u200b Association 36th National Symposium, with\u2064 Sen. Angus King \u200c(I-ME); Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro; and Coast\u2064 Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan https:\/\/navysnaevents.org\/national-symposium\/<\/p>\n<p>10 a.m. \u2014 Politico virtual discussion: \u2063\u201cTurning Point for Taiwan: A\u2063 Presidential Election Preview,\u201d\u200d with Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL); Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY); Yun \u2064Fan, legislator of the Taiwanese Democratic Progressive\u200d Party; and Jason Hsu, fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School https:\/\/2024politicotaiwan.splashthat.com\/Invite<\/p>\n<p>2:30 p.m. 1030 15th St. NW \u2014 Atlantic Council\u2019s Transatlantic Security Initiative and the Europe Center discussion with Bulgarian Defense Minister Todor Tagarev https:\/\/www.atlanticcouncil.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/russian-invasion-of-ukraine-will-be-longer-war\/\" title=\"Russian Invasion of Ukraine Will be \u201cLonger War\u201d\">org\/event\/a-conversation-<\/a>with-the-minister-of-defense-of-bulgaria<\/p>\n<p>4 p.m. \u2014 Common Good virtual discussion: \u201cPalestine and \u2062Israel: Charting the Path to a Long Term Solution,\u201d with Nathan Brown,\u2062 Palestinian and Arab politics expert; \u2064and Richard Wolffe, author and journalist for the Guardian https:\/\/www.thecommongoodus.org\/upcoming-events\/palestine-and-israel<\/p>\n<p>9 p.m. Des Moines, Iowa \u2014\u200b Former Gov. Nikki Haley (R-SC) and \u2064Gov. Ron DeSantis\u2063 (R-FL) take part in a\u2064 Republican presidential primary debate at Drake\u2063 University \u200cin Des Moines, Iowa, hosted\u2064 by CNN and moderated by anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash \u200dhttps:\/\/www.cnn.com<\/p>\n<p>THURSDAY | JANUARY 11<\/p>\n<p>8:30 a.m. 2799 \u200bRichmond Highway, Arlington, Virginia \u2064\u2014 Surface Navy Association 36th National Symposium, with Jay Stefany, \u200cperforming the duties of the assistant Navy secretary https:\/\/navysnaevents.org\/national-symposium<\/p>\n<p>10 a.m. \u2014 \u2063\u200b\u200bCounter\u200c Extremism Project invites webinar: \u201cSpying, Extorting and Filtering \u2013 How The Houthis Control Telecommunications In Yemen,\u201d with Yemen specialist Ari Heistein, author \u200cof the CEP report series; Edmund Fitton-Brown, CEP senior adviser; and Hans-Jakob Schindler, CEP senior director https:\/\/us02web.zoom.us\/webinar\/register<\/p>\n<p>10:30 a.m. \u200d\u2014 Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin welcomes Bulgarian Defense Minister \u2063Todor Tagarev to the Pentagon<\/p>\n<p>11:30 a.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW \u2014 Center for Strategic and \u200bInternational Studies discussion: \u201cNavigating Security Challenges in the Black Sea Region,\u201d with Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy\u200d and \u2062Public Affairs Elizabeth Allen; Lisa Aronsson, research \u200dfellow at the National Defense University; Max Bergmann, director \u200dof the CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia \u200cProgram and Stuart Center; \u200dand Jeffrey Mankoff, senior associate for the CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program https:\/\/www.csis.org\/events\/navigating-security-challenges-black-sea-region<\/p>\n<p>12 p.m. \u2014 New America virtual discussion: \u201cGuantanamo\u2064 at Twenty-Two,\u201d with Fionnuala Ni Aolain, university regents professor at University of Minnesota Law and former U.N. Special rapporteur on the\u200c promotion and protection of human \u200brights and fundamental freedoms while countering\u200d terrorism; Mohamedou Ould Slahi, former detainee at \u200dGuantanamo Bay and author of Guantanamo Diary; Andy Worthington, co-founder of Close Guantanamo \u2062and author of The Guantanamo Files:\u200d The Stories of the 774 \u2062Detainees in America\u2019s Illegal Prison; \u200cand Peter Bergen, vice president of New America, co-director of the Arizona State University\u2019s Future Security Initiative and ASU professor of practice\u200c https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/future-security\/events\/guantanamo-at-twenty-two<\/p>\n<p>5 p.m. 1779 Massachusetts Ave. NW \u2014\u2064 Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in-person and \u2063virtual book discussion: Our Enemies Will Vanish: The Russian Invasion and Ukraine\u2019s War\u200b of Independence, with author Yaroslav Trofimov, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/lara-logan-blasts-biden-says-women-will-suffer-long-slow-death-under-taliban\/\" title=\"Lara Logan Blasts Biden, Says Women Will Suffer \u2018Long Slow Death\u2019 Under Taliban\">chief foreign affairs correspondent<\/a> at \u2062the Wall Street\u200c Journal; and Susan \u2063Glasser, staff writer at the New Yorker https:\/\/carnegieendowment.org\/2024\/01\/11\/our-enemies-will-vanish<\/p>\n<p>FRIDAY | JANUARY 12<\/p>\n<p>8 a.m. \u200c7500 GEOINT Drive, Springfield Virginia \u2014 Armed Forces Communications and\u2063 Electronics Association Navy Information Warfare Industry Day conference, with session \u200bon \u201cJoint Warfighting\u2062 Concept: Navy\u2019s Contribution to the Joint Force\u201d\u2062 https:\/\/www.afcea.org\/events\/navy-information-warfare-industry-day<\/p>\n<p>10 a.m.\u200b \u2014 Center for Strategic and International Studies Defense-Industrial Initiatives Group virtual discussion:\u200d \u201cSecurity in the Western Pacific: Building Future \u2062Capabilities in the\u200d Time\u2062 of AUKUS,\u201d with \u200dretired Marine Col. Mark Cancian, senior adviser, CSIS International Security Program; Charles Edel, CSIS \u200dsenior \u200cadviser and Australia Chair; Becca Wasser, Senior fellow, \u2064Defense Program and \u200clead of\u200b The Gaming \u200dLab at the Center for a\u200c New\u2063 American Security; and retired Rear \u200cAdm. Mark Montgomery, senior director, Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation and \u2062senior fellow, Foundation for Defense of Democracies https:\/\/www.csis.org\/events\/security-western-pacific<\/p>\n<p>SATURDAY | JANUARY 13<\/p>\n<p>Taiwan\u2019s 2024 presidential election, a three-way \u200drace between Vice\u2064 President William Lai of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party,\u2062 New Taipei City Mayor Hou Yu-ih of the Kuomintang or Nationalist Party, and former Taipei City Mayor Ko Wen-je of the Taiwan People\u2019s Party\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>TUESDAY |\u2064 JANUARY 16<\/p>\n<p>11 a.m. \u2014 Defense Priorities virtual discussion: \u201cKeeping the U.S. out of war in the Middle East,\u201d with Andrew Bacevich, chair, Quincy Institute\u200c for Responsible Statecraft; Barbara Slavin, distinguished fellow, Stimson\u2063 Center; Benjamin \u2062Friedman, policy director, Defense Priorities; and Daniel DePetris, fellow, Defense Priorities https:\/\/keepingusoutofwarinmiddleeast.splashthat.com<\/p>\n<p>FRIDAY | JANUARY 199 a.m. \u2014 Center\u2064 for the Study of\u200b the Presidency and Congress book discussion:\u200d \u201cThe Arms of the Future, with author Jack Watling, senior research fellow\u200c at RUSI in London https:\/\/www.addevent.com\/event<\/p>\n<p>QUOTE OF THE DAY: \u201cI\u2019ve been doing public affairs for a very long time,\u2063 and so I know what right looks \u2063like. And even though you do this \u200cfor\u200c a while, you can continue to learn. And so, I will do better next time. That\u2019s my pledge to you all.\u201d\u200b Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, apologizing to the Pentagon press \u2062corps for failing to inform them and the public of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin\u2019s\u200c hospitalization in\u200b a timely manner.  <\/p>\n<h2> What are\u2062 the potential consequences or repercussions for Defense Secretary Austin and his chief \u200cof staff in light of the failure to follow normal protocol<\/h2>\n<p><span>  \u200c IT\u2019S\u2064 THE COVER-UP \u200dTHAT GETS YOU<\/p>\n<p>Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin remains in\u200c the hospital this morning, eight days after suffering severe pain following an \u2064undisclosed medical procedure,\u200b and is still facing bipartisan criticism for attempting to keep\u2064 his health crisis secret, even \u2064from\u2062 President\u2063 Joe Biden.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI remain \u2062concerned \u200cthat vital chain of command and notification procedures \u2063were not followed while the secretary was under medical care. He is taking responsibility for the situation but this was\u200c a serious incident, and there needs to be\u200c transparency and accountability from the department,\u201d said Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), chairman of the Senate Armed Services \u2064Committee.\u2064 \u201cThis lack of disclosure must never happen again.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Pentagon has yet to disclose \u200cthe nature \u2064of the elective procedure Austin underwent on Dec. 22 or provide\u200c any details about the subsequent complication, other than to say he was in a lot of pain \u200cbut is\u200d now recovering in the hospital.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe secretary\u200d currently\u2062 remains hospitalized at Walter Reed National\u200c Military Medical Center\u200d and is recovering well and in \u2064good spirits,\u201d said Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder,\u2063 the Pentagon\u2019s chief spokesman. \u201cHe is no\u200d longer in the Intensive Care\u200b Unit but is recovering in\u2063 a more private area\u200d of the hospital. He continues\u2064 to experience discomfort, but his prognosis is good.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>LLOYD AUSTIN \u200bHOSPITALIZATION: TIMELINE OF HOW WHITE HOUSE WAS LEFT IN THE DARK<\/p>\n<p>In a lengthy off-camera session with Pentagon reporters, Ryder acknowledged that\u2063 he did\u2063 not serve his boss or\u2063 the public well by failing to \u200cdisclose Austin\u2019s hospitalization\u200c when he was told about it the day after it occurred.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI recognize \u2063that I should \u200dhave tried \u200cto learn more and to press for an earlier \u200cpublic acknowledgment,\u201d Ryder said. \u201cSo I offer my apologies and my pledge\u2063 to learn from this experience.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn retrospect, \u2062I should \u2063have asked those \u200dharder\u200b questions,\u201d he said. \u201cI can tell you personally and professionally,\u2062 I\u2019ve been doing public affairs for a very long \u200ctime, and so I know what right looks like, and even though you do this for a while,\u2062 you can continue to learn. And so, I will do\u2062 better next time. That\u2019s my \u2062pledge to you all.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Speaking to reporters aboard \u2063Air Force One, National Security Council spokesman John\u2062 Kirby said the president \u201crespects the\u2063 fact that Secretary \u200cAustin took ownership for the lack of transparency\u201d and insisted his job was safe.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c[Biden] respects the amazing job he\u2019s\u2063 done as defense secretary and how he\u2019s handled multiple crises over the last almost three years now and very much values his \u200dadvice, candor, leadership,\u201d\u2062 Kirby\u2063 said. \u201cThere is no plan for anything\u200b other than for Secretary Austin to stay in the job and continue in the leadership that he\u2019s been demonstrating.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>WHITE HOUSE TO \u2018LOOK AT PROCESS AND PROCEDURE\u2019 OF LLOYD AUSTIN\u2019S\u200b SECRET HOSPITALIZATION<\/p>\n<p>While Austin has taken responsibility for the\u200d debacle \u2064and promised to do better, the failure to\u2063 follow normal \u200cprotocol has raised questions about Austin\u2019s chief of staff, Kelly Magsamen, whose responsibility it would\u2064 have been to make the necessary notifications. Magsamen, who\u2062 was out sick, was informed of Austin\u2019s hospitalization on Jan. 2 but didn\u2019t tell the White House until Jan. \u20624.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI \u200bwork every day with Chief Magsamen and \u2063you\u2019re not going\u200b to meet anybody\u200b that works harder than her. \u2064And she was ill with the flu,\u201d Ryder told reporters. \u201cAnd so not standing up here looking to make excuses other than, \u200dyou know, the\u2063 explanation for\u200d why there was a delay and the\u200c fact that \u2062we know we can \u2063do better and we\u2019re committed to doing\u2062 better so.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On Capitol \u200cHill, some Republicans have called for Austin\u2019s firing or resignation. \u201cIt is shocking and absolutely unacceptable that the Department of Defense waited multiple days to notify the president, the National Security Council, and\u200b the American people that Defense Secretary Austin\u2062 was hospitalized and unable\u200b to perform\u200d his duties,\u201d said Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY). \u201cThis \u200bconcerning lack\u200c of transparency\u200d exemplifies a shocking lack of judgment and a\u200d significant national security threat. There must \u2063be full \u2063accountability beginning with the immediate resignation \u2063of Secretary \u2062Austin and those that lied for him and a congressional investigation into this dangerous dereliction of duty.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-MT) \u2062has gone a step further and\u200d filed articles of impeachment against Austin, alleging \u200dhis actions amounted to\u200d \u201chigh crimes and misdemeanors.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Pentagon said Austin has not offered his resignation \u2063to the president and has no intention \u2064of stepping down.<\/p>\n<p>EDITORIAL: AUSTIN GOES AWOL<\/p>\n<p>Good Tuesday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre\u2019s Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National\u2064 Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre and edited by Conrad Hoyt.<\/p>\n<p>HAPPENING TODAY: Former President Donald Trump plans to attend this morning\u2019s arguments before the U.S. \u200bCourt of Appeals for the D.C. \u200dCircuit\u2062 in the landmark \u2062case in \u200dwhich the ex-president claims he enjoys total immunity \u200bfor any actions while in office, including charges that \u200dhe worked to\u2062 overturn the results of the 2020 election that \u2063he lost.<\/p>\n<p>POLICY<\/p>\n<p>BLINKEN IN\u200c ISRAEL: Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in\u200d Israel, where he has told Israeli President Isaac \u200dHerzog that he \u2064has secured commitments from four Arab nations and Turkey to \u2062help rebuild Gaza after the war.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve just come \u2063from a number of countries in the region \u2063\u2013 Turkey,\u2063 Greece, Jordan, Qatar, United\u2064 Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia \u2013 and \u2062I want to be able to share some of what I heard from those leaders with the president, as well as with the prime minister and the Cabinet later today,\u201d Blinken said. \u201cAnd, of course, we\u2019ll have an opportunity to sit with the\u200d families of some of the hostages and discuss our relentless efforts to bring everyone \u200bhome and \u200cback with\u200b their families.<\/p>\n<p>Blinken continues \u200bto press Israel to transition to a more precise, targeted offensive aimed at Hamas leaders while limiting destruction\u2062 and civilian deaths. But Israel has vowed to keep going until it has destroyed Hamas.<\/p>\n<p>At \u200ca \u200bcampaign event in Charleston, South Carolina, President Joe Biden was interrupted by a protester who shouted that if Biden really cared about Palestinian lives,\u2062 he \u2063would call for a \u2062ceasefire.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLook, folks, I understand you\u2019re \u2014 I understand their passion,\u201d Biden told the crowd at\u2062 the Mother Emanuel AME Church. \u201cAnd I\u2019ve been quietly working \u2014 \u200cI\u2019ve been \u200bquietly working with \u2062the Israeli government to get them to reduce and significantly get out of Gaza, using all that I \u2062can \u200cto do that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>REALITY\u2064 CHECK: The $1.59 trillion budget deal that\u2063 House Speaker Mike Johnson made with Senate Majority Leader Chuck \u2064Schumer over the weekend is not going down well with many House\u200b Republicans, who argue \u2063that Democrats have barely made any concessions, \u2063especially when it comes to border security.<\/p>\n<p>Some, such as Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), are still threatening to shut down the government \u200bin \u2063less than\u200c two weeks if the Senate doesn\u2019t agree to the amnesty reform contained in H.R. 2,\u200b the House border bill passed last year.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s the only tool we have,\u201d Roy said on Fox yesterday. \u201cI\u2019m \u200dnot trying to rattle about shutdown for\u2064 the\u200d sake of it, but the\u2064 people I represent, they\u2019re like, \u2018Good lord, shut down the border or shut\u2064 down the government until you wake up President Biden.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t think we should be funding the government without getting change,\u201d Roy \u2062said. \u201cI sure don\u2019t think we \u200cought to\u2062 be giving more money to Ukraine without\u200b forcing the\u2062 change\u200c at the border we need to.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But Democrats argue they hold the\u2064 cards when it comes to preventing a government shutdown.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI actually tip\u2064 my hat to the new speaker for yielding to reality.\u200b No budget can pass the House\u2064 of Representatives without overwhelming Democratic support. That is a fact\u2063 of the math,\u201d Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) said on CNN. \u201cIt\u2019s going to \u2064create\u2062 problems for him, just like it did Kevin McCarthy on the right side of his caucus, which is never happy with any budget agreement or with any appropriations bill.\u2064 And he\u2019s got to \u200dbypass them and risk his\u200b own speakership\u200c in \u200ddoing so. So I think he deserves\u2063 credit for at least recognizing the reality and making sure that we can come to an agreement that keeps \u2062the\u200d government open.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDemocrats time and time again have stepped forward when it was necessary to ensure the \u2064proper function\u2064 of government,\u201d Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) said on MSNBC. \u201cSo, my expectation \u200bis, as long as Speaker Johnson brings this \u2063bill to the floor, it \u2062will pass, \u2063and it will likely, as has been the case in prior continuing resolutions and in prior efforts to avoid catastrophe, the vast majority \u2063or at least the majority of those votes will likely come from Democrats.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>THE RUNDOWN:<\/p>\n<p>Washington Examiner: White House to \u2018look at process and procedure\u2019 of\u2063 Lloyd Austin\u2019s secret hospitalization<\/p>\n<p>Washington Examiner: Lloyd Austin hospitalization: Timeline \u200bof how White House was left in the dark<\/p>\n<p>Washington Examiner: \u2063Editorial: Austin goes AWOL<\/p>\n<p>Washington Examiner: Embattled Mayorkas makes rare appeal to border agents\u200b amid worsening crisis<\/p>\n<p>Washington Examiner: Senate Republicans schedule Wednesday briefing on the \u2064border<\/p>\n<p>Washington\u2062 Examiner: Arizona Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs blasts border security failures under Biden term<\/p>\n<p>Washington \u2062Examiner: Israel\u2019s Herzog unveils alleged Hamas\u200c memo\u2062 detailing \u2018terrorist summer camps\u2019<\/p>\n<p>CNN: Marine Corps Says Commandant Underwent Successful Open-Heart Surgery<\/p>\n<p>Bloomberg: US Intelligence Shows Flawed China Missiles Led Xi to\u2064 Purge Army<\/p>\n<p>Washington Times: Taiwan\u2019s Defense Ministry\u2063 issues an alert saying China has launched a satellite and urging caution<\/p>\n<p>AP: \u200dChina sanctions 5 US defense companies in response to US sanctions and arms\u200b sales to Taiwan<\/p>\n<p>Wall Street Journal: Chinese Intelligence Says It Has \u200bDetained Spy\u200d Hired by \u200dBritain<\/p>\n<p>Air \u2064Force Times: US Air Force Logistics Officer \u2062Talks Basing, Drones in the Pacific<\/p>\n<p>Task &#038; Purpose: Iraq\u2019s Prime Minister Seeks to End US Troop Presence Following Baghdad Strike<\/p>\n<p>AP: With each strike,\u200c fears \u2064grow that \u2062Israel, the US and Iran\u2019s allies \u2064are inching\u2062 closer \u2064to all-out\u2062 war<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin remains hospitalized after experiencing severe pain from an undisclosed medical procedure. His attempt to conceal his health crisis, even from President Joe Biden, has drawn bipartisan criticism. The cover-up has raised concerns about transparency and the crucial chain of command<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2639,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2144150","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2144150","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2639"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2144150"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2144150\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2144150"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2144150"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2144150"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}