President Biden said his defense secretary made an error in judgment in not keeping the White House informed of his hospitalization. But keeping a low profile has long defined the Pentagon chief.
The Pentagon took days to tell the White House that the defense secretary had been hospitalized, raising grave questions about national security and the chain of command.
The independent review will be conducted in addition to assessments by the defense secretary’s chief of staff and the White House after top officials were not notified of the episode for days.
Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III is under scrutiny for concealing his prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment. But experts say it can be a common coping mechanism.