The White House has affirmed President Biden’s “full trust” in Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, dismissing calls for his resignation or termination. The statements come in response to the controversy surrounding Austin’s undisclosed hospitalization in an intensive care unit, a situation that went unnoticed by the White House for several days.
A White House official informed Fox News Digital on Monday morning that President Biden has no intentions of replacing Austin and maintains “full trust and confidence in the Secretary.”
This response follows former President Trump’s call on Sunday for Austin’s immediate termination, citing “improper professional conduct and dereliction of duty.” Trump also criticized the lack of information about Austin’s whereabouts, stating, “He has been missing for one week, and nobody, including his boss, Crooked Joe Biden, had a clue as to where he was or might be,” in a post on his Truth Social platform.
The controversy surrounding Austin’s hospitalization and the subsequent calls for his resignation have brought attention to questions of transparency and communication within the Biden administration. Despite the criticism, the White House stands by its support of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.