{"id":2165101,"date":"2024-02-01T14:52:02","date_gmt":"2024-02-01T19:52:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/austin-denies-requesting-subtle-ride-to-hospital-blames-aide-should-come-out-in-the-review\/"},"modified":"2024-02-01T14:55:27","modified_gmt":"2024-02-01T19:55:27","slug":"austin-denies-requesting-subtle-ride-to-hospital-blames-aide-should-come-out-in-the-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/austin-denies-requesting-subtle-ride-to-hospital-blames-aide-should-come-out-in-the-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Austin denies requesting a &#8216;subtle&#8217; ride to the hospital, blames aide, expects review to clarify"},"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\">30<\/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%2Faustin-denies-requesting-subtle-ride-to-hospital-blames-aide-should-come-out-in-the-review%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=2165101&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>Defense Secretary\u200c Austin Apologizes for Coverup of Hospitalization<\/h2>\n<p>Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin&#8217;s recent hospitalization due to complications from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/john-kirby-confirms-white-house-was-not-informed-of-austins-first-hospital-stay-either\/\" title=\"White House Unaware of Austin's Initial Hospital Stay, Confirms John Kirby\">prostate cancer surgery<\/a> was shrouded in secrecy, as he and his team failed to inform the White House and the American public. Austin entered the\u200b hospital on January 1 \u200cbut only revealed his condition four days later.<\/p>\n<p>During a \u200dpress \u200cconference, Austin admitted that his assistant \u2064had requested a \u200blow-profile\u200b ambulance ride\u200d without lights and \u2063sirens to keep\u2063 the situation discreet. However, he emphasized that he did not direct his assistant to make this request and called for\u2062 a review to uncover the reasons behind \u2062it.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Defense Sec. Lloyd\u2062 Austin can\u2019t explain\u200c why \u2064his staff told \u2064the \u2063ambulance \u201cno lights, no sirens.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Repeatedly throughout this press conference,\u200b Austin doesn&#8217;t answer questions \u2063about who\u2064 knew \u2064what when. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/qDrBTU20uv\">pic.twitter.com\/qDrBTU20uv<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RNCResearch\/status\/1753086532527816761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 1, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The Washington Post\u200d reviewed\u200b a recording of the 911 call made for Austin&#8217;s\u2063 ambulance,\u200b revealing that his aide had specifically requested a subtle arrival without lights and sirens. The \u200ddispatcher explained that \u2062ambulances are \u2063required\u200d to activate\u200b lights and sirens on main roads but can \u2062turn them off in residential neighborhoods.<\/p>\n<p>Austin began the press conference by taking full responsibility\u200b for the mishandling of his cancer diagnosis and hospitalization.\u2062 He expressed regret for \u2063not informing the president, his team, and the American public, acknowledging that he should have been more transparent. Austin attributed his initial silence to his\u2063 private nature\u2063 but recognized that as a\u200d public official, he cannot expect the\u2063 same level of privacy as a private citizen.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">.<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SecDef?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@SecDef<\/a> Austin on his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-says-hes-not-going-to-make-any-more-endorsements-in-house-speakers-race\/\" title=\"Trump: No More Endorsements for House Speaker Race\">recent cancer diagnosis<\/a> and transparency: &#8220;We did not \u2062handle this right. I did not handle this right. I should have told the president about my cancer diagnosis, and I should\u200c have also told my team and the American public. I take full responsibility.&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/rt3WjjjJdl\">pic.twitter.com\/rt3WjjjJdl<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 \u200bCSPAN (@cspan) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/cspan\/status\/1753085290221076661?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 1, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What concerns have been raised about the\u2063 transparency \u2064and \u200baccountability of the Defense Secretary&#8217;s office regarding this episode?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Behind the decision.<\/p>\n<p>This episode has \u2064raised concerns\u2064 among both the\u200b public\u200b and the government officials about the transparency and accountability of the Defense Secretary&#8217;s\u2063 office. As the head of the \u2063Department of Defense, Austin is \u2063responsible for overseeing the military and ensuring the nation&#8217;s security.\u200c It \u200cis essential for \u2064the\u200d American public\u200b to have trust in such a crucial position,\u2063 and any \u2062attempts\u2063 to hide or cover up\u200b information undermine that trust.<\/p>\n<p>Apologizing for the cover-up, Secretary Austin acknowledged the mistake and took responsibility for the lack of transparency surrounding\u200c his hospitalization. \u200dHe emphasized the\u2063 importance \u200cof transparency in government and assured \u200cthe\u200d public that steps\u200d would be taken to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/kamala-gif-tiff-sparks-mandatory-anti-racism-training-at-cornell\/\" title=\"Kamala GIF Tiff Sparks Mandatory \u2018Anti-Racism\u2019 Training at Cornell\">prevent similar incidents<\/a> from occurring in the future.<\/p>\n<p>It\u200c is worth noting that Secretary Austin&#8217;s prostate cancer surgery is a personal matter, and he has every right to privacy regarding his\u200b health. However, as a public servant, there is an expectation of transparency when it comes to matters that can potentially impact his ability to perform his duties. This expectation is not only for the sake of accountability\u2062 but also for\u2064 the\u2063 well-being of the \u2062country as \u200ca whole.<\/p>\n<p>The fact that Secretary Austin \u2064did not personally \u2063direct \u2062his assistant to request a low-profile ambulance ride\u200b raises questions about the culture \u200cwithin his office. It raises concerns about a\u200b lack of transparency and openness among his immediate team members, where decisions are made without his knowledge \u2064or involvement. \u2063These concerns\u200d must be addressed to ensure that the Defense\u2062 Department operates in a manner that upholds the highest\u2062 standards of integrity and accountability.<\/p>\n<p>Transparency is crucial \u200din a democracy, and leaders must lead by example.\u2063 It\u2064 is essential that Secretary Austin not only apologize for the cover-up \u2064but also commit to fostering a culture of openness\u2063 and transparency \u2064within \u2063his office. This includes \u200cestablishing\u200d clear \u2062lines of communication,\u200b ensuring that critical \u200bdecisions are made collaboratively, and taking appropriate actions if\u200b similar \u200dincidents\u200b occur in the future.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, this \u200dincident highlights \u200cthe \u200dimportance of regular and open communication between government and the \u200bpublic. The American people have the right \u200bto be informed about the health of their leaders, particularly those in critical \u2064positions such as the \u2064Secretary of Defense. This information allows the public to have \u2063confidence in \u200cthe ability of their leaders to fulfill\u2063 their responsibilities effectively.<\/p>\n<p>In reviewing and\u2062 addressing the reasons \u200dbehind the decision to keep Secretary\u200b Austin&#8217;s hospitalization secret, it is\u200d crucial to carefully consider\u2062 the \u2063potential\u2062 consequences\u2062 of such actions. The American public \u2062entrusts their leaders with critical decisions that\u2062 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/judge-andrew-p-napolitano-the-torturers-apprentice\/\" title=\"Judge Andrew P. Napolitano: The Torturers\u2019 Apprentice\">affect national security<\/a>, and any attempts to hide or cover up information erode that trust.<\/p>\n<p>Moving \u200cforward, it\u200d is\u2062 incumbent upon\u200d Secretary Austin \u200dand his team to rebuild trust by\u2063 exemplifying transparency, accountability, and openness.\u200d This includes promptly informing\u200d the appropriate parties about \u200dany <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/report-8000-delta-air-lines-employees-contracted-coronavirus-in-4-weeks\/\" title=\"Report: 8,000 Delta Air Lines Employees Contracted Coronavirus in 4 Weeks\">significant health issues<\/a> and ensuring that decisions are made collectively and with the best interest of the public in mind.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, Secretary Austin&#8217;s apology\u200d for the cover-up\u200d of his\u2063 hospitalization\u200c is\u2062 an important first step towards \u200brebuilding trust and demonstrating a commitment to transparency. However, it is crucial that this incident serves as a wake-up call for the Defense \u2064Department\u200d to address any issues within its culture that may have contributed to the \u2064lack of \u2064transparency. The \u200dAmerican public deserves leaders who are open and accountable, particularly in crucial positions such as the Secretary of Defense.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin apologized on Thursday for not informing the White House and the public about his low-profile ambulance ride to the hospital on January 1. He experienced complications from a previous surgery, and his assistant had requested the discreet transport<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":70,"featured_media":2165102,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/dw-wp-production.imgix.net\/2024\/02\/Lloyd-Austin.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[541],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2165101","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-daily-wire"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/dw-wp-production.imgix.net\/2024\/02\/Lloyd-Austin.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2165101","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\/70"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2165101"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2165101\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2165102"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2165101"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2165101"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2165101"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}