Pelosi says Lloyd Austin hospitalization 'could have been handled much better': Biden 'should have known'

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi argued that the disclosure of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's hospitalization could have been "handled much better" during an interview with MSNBC host Jen Psaki and said President Biden should have known.

Psaki asked Pelosi about how "concerned" she was about the lack of disclosure from Austin.

"My first concern is about his health, and what the nature of that is and why he would not disclose it. But the chain of command is something that really does have to be respected. And the President of the United States is the commander in chief. He should have known. But again, we don’t know the particulars of this. But I do think that this could’ve been handled much better," Pelosi said.

Psaki also asked if Pelosi felt confident that Austin could continue to serve as defense secretary.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi joined MSNBC host Jen Psaki on Monday and reacted to the lack of disclosure from the Pentagon about Sec. Austin's hospitalization.  (Screenshot/MSNBC)

DOD SECOND-IN-COMMAND TOLD OF AUSTIN'S HOSPITALIZATION 2 DAYS AFTER TAKING OVER SOME OF HIS DUTIES

Pelosi said she is a big fan of Austin but ultimately concluded it was up to him and the president. 

"But that’s really something that’s — him and the President of the United States, because nobody knows better than the secretary of defense and the commander in chief about the chain of command," she said. 

Austin was admitted to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on New Year's Day for complications following a recent elective medical procedure," Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters days later.

The Pentagon’s second in command, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks, was unaware that Austin was in the hospital when she assumed some of his duties early last week, according to a senior military official.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin remains hospitalized a week after suffering severe pain following an elective procedure, the Pentagon said Monday. (Ian Waldie/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

DEFENSE SECRETARY AUSTIN HOSPITALIZED FOLLOWING SURGERY COMPLICATIONS

The National Security Council and Biden were unaware of Austin's hospitalization for multiple days. 

The Pentagon revealed that the White House was kept in the dark because Austin's chief of staff was sick with the flu. The Pentagon and Austin were swiftly criticized for their failure to disclose the information. 

A DOD official told Politico on Sunday that "someone’s head has to roll."

"Not telling the [White House], Congress or the media he is sick, and then telling Pentagon staff he is working from home is next level. This is a problem," the official said. "Someone made the decision not to disclose. That person will likely be gone shortly."

President Biden, left, and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, right (Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images // Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

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Austin released a statement on Saturday, addressing concerns about "transparency."

"I am very glad to be on the mend and look forward to returning to the Pentagon soon," he said. "I also understand the media concerns about transparency and I recognize I could have done a better job ensuring the public was appropriately informed. I commit to doing better. But this is important to say: this was my medical procedure, and I take full responsibility for my decisions about disclosure."