U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin Has Been Hospitalized Since Jan. 1

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was hospitalized Jan. 1 for post-surgery complications. (Manuel Balce Ceneta)  

Daily Mail/Reuters: Pentagon is slammed for keeping Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's hospitalization secret for FIVE DAYS, as wars rage in Gaza and Ukraine 

* U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was admitted to hospital on New Year's Day for unspecified complications following an elective surgery 

* The Pentagon has been criticized for not revealing that information for five days while the US plays key national security roles in the wars in Israel and Ukraine 

The Pentagon has been criticized for keeping U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's hospitalization secret for five days, after he experienced complications following an elective surgery. 

Austin, who is 70, sits just below President Joe Biden at the top of the chain of command of the U.S. military and his duties require him being available at a moment's notice to respond to any manner of national security crisis. 

It is not clear whether Austin ever lost consciousness before or after he was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on New Year's Day.  

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WNU Editor: It is amazing that they kept this under-wraps for 5 days. 

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin Has Been Hospitalized Since Jan. 1  

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has been hospitalized since Jan. 1 -- Washington Post  

Defense Secretary Austin has been hospitalized since Jan. 1, but the Pentagon kept the news quiet -- ABC News/AP  

Defense secretary hospitalized for surgery complications -- Defense News  

Defense secretary hospitalized for surgery complications -- Military Times  

Defense Secretary Austin Hospitalized, Pentagon Says Days Later -- Bloomberg  

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin recovering after being admitted to hospital -- CNN  

Pentagon reveals Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin hospitalized since New Year's Day after complications from elective procedure -- NYPost