The Pentagon is being criticized for waiting THREE DAYS to tell the White House that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was in intensive care with an unknown illness – despite conflicts raging in the Middle East and Ukraine

The Pentagon has been slammed after waiting three days to inform the White House that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was in the intensive care unit at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland with an undisclosed illness.

The Pentagon's failure to make Austin's hospitalization public reflects a stunning lack of transparency about his illness, how serious it was and when he might be released.

Such secrecy, at a time when the United States is facing a host of national security crises, goes against normal practice whereby the president and other senior U.S. officials and Cabinet members would be the first to be notified.

Austin, 70, remains in the hospital after complications from a minor medical procedure, his press secretary said.

He was last seen in public on December 20 when he visited the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford in the Eastern Mediterranean to personally thank the crew members for their service.

Austin was last seen in public on December 20 when he visited the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford in the Eastern Mediterranean to personally thank crew members for their service

Those working at the Pentagon had no idea what was going on, thinking Austin had been on a weeklong Christmas vacation.

On Saturday night, Austin released a statement taking some responsibility for the secrecy.

“I would like to thank the wonderful physicians and nursing staff at Walter Reed for the exceptional care they provided me and for the personal warmth they showed to my family. I also appreciate all the help and good wishes from colleagues and friends. Charlene and I are very grateful for your support,” Austin began.

“I am very happy that I am doing better and look forward to returning to the Pentagon soon.

“I also understand the media's concerns about transparency and I recognize that I could have done better to ensure the public was properly informed. I am committed to doing better. But it is important to say: this was my medical procedure and I take full responsibility for my disclosure decisions.”

The Defense Department appeared rudderless for much of the week as Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks, who took over when Austin was hospitalized, was also away.

A U.S. official said Hicks had a communications system with her in Puerto Rico that allowed her to do the work while Austin, who spent 41 years in the military and retired in 2016 as a four-star Army general, was incapacitated.

Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder has since said the White House and Joint Chiefs of Staff were notified of Austin's hospitalization, but did not reveal when they first heard of the news.

Some U.S. officials said Saturday that many of the Pentagon's top brass did not know Austin was in the hospital until Friday at the earliest.

Officials said President Joe Biden and other senior White House staff had been notified, but officials were closely monitoring the information about when they were told.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is in the intensive care unit at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland, pictured

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, left, talks with the commander of the USS Gerald R. Ford, Navy Captain Rick Burgess, during an unannounced visit to the ship on December 20

Ryder said members of Congress were notified late Friday afternoon, and other officials said lawmakers were notified after 5 p.m.

In a statement, Ryder said Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks was at all times “prepared to act for and exercise the Secretary's authority as necessary.”

It was not clear when key senior members of Austin's staff were notified, but across the Pentagon many employees found out when the department released a statement about Austin's hospital stay just minutes after 5 p.m.

Ryder said Saturday that Austin is recovering well and returned to full duties from his hospital bed Friday evening.

When asked why the hospital stay was kept secret for so long, Ryder said it was an “evolving situation” and that the Pentagon was not disclosing Austin's absence due to privacy and medical concerns.

Ryder declined to provide further details about Austin's medical procedure or health.

The Pentagon Press Association, which represents media members who cover the Defense Department, sent a letter of protest Friday evening to Ryder and Chris Meagher, the assistant secretary of Defense for public affairs.

“The fact that he has been at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for four days and the Pentagon is only now alerting the public late on a Friday evening is an outrage,” the PPA said in its letter.

“At a time when there are increasing threats to U.S. military personnel in the Middle East and the U.S. plays a major national security role in the wars in Israel and Ukraine, it is especially critical that the American public is informed about health status. and the decision-making capabilities of its top defense chief.”

Austin's hospitalization comes as the US plays a major national security role in the wars in Israel and Ukraine

Austin's hospitalization comes as Iranian-backed militias have repeatedly launched drones, rockets and missiles at bases where U.S. troops are stationed in Iraq and Syria, prompting several pushback from the Biden administration.

These attacks are said to have involved sensitive discussions and decisions at the highest levels by Austin and other key military leaders.

The US is also the main organizer behind a new international maritime coalition using ships and other assets to patrol the southern Red Sea to deter continued attacks on commercial ships by Houthi militants in Yemen.

Furthermore, the administration, and especially Austin, has been at the forefront of providing weapons and training to Ukraine, as well as communicating regularly with the Israelis about their war against Hamas.