House Democrat pressures Sec Austin to resign after 'lack of transparency' in hospital debacle: 'Lost trust'

A Democrat representative called for Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to resign following his delayed communication of his cancer diagnosis with the Biden administration.

Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., who sits on the House Armed Services Committee, shared his message regarding Austin on Wednesday afternoon.

"I have lost trust in Secretary Lloyd Austin's leadership of the Defense Department due to the lack of transparency about his recent medical treatment and its impact on the continuity of the chain of command," Deluzio said in a X post.

"I have a solemn duty in Congress to conduct oversight of the Defense Department through my service on the House Armed Services Committee. That duty today requires me to call on Secretary Austin to resign."

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"That duty today requires me to call on Secretary Austin to resign."

— Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa.

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)

Rhode Island Democrat Sen. Jack Reed, the chair of the Senate Armed Service Committee, was critical of Austin, but did not go so far as to call for his resignation.

"I wish Secretary Austin a speedy and complete recovery. I remain concerned that vital chain of command and notification procedures were not followed while the Secretary was under medical care. He is taking responsibility for the situation, but this was a serious incident and there needs to be transparency and accountability from the Department," Reed said in a statement. 

"This lack of disclosure must never happen again," Reed said."I am tracking the situation closely and the Department of Defense is well aware of my interest in any and all relevant information."

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin pauses while speaking during a media briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C, on Nov. 17, 2021. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

While Deluzio is the first house Democrat to call for Austin's resignation, the GOP-led House Armed Services Committee launched a formal inquiry into Austin on Tuesday over the incident. 

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Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala., announced the inquiry in a statement Tuesday afternoon, saying that "everything from ongoing counterterrorism operations to nuclear command and control relies on a clear understanding" of Austin’s "decision-making capacity."

"The Department is a robust institution, and it is designed to function under attack by our enemies, but it is not designed for a Secretary who conceals being incapacitated," Rogers wrote.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin testifies before a House subcommittee in Washington, D.C., on May 11, 2022. (AP/Jose Luis Magana)

Austin was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Dec. 22 and underwent surgery to treat cancer. He developed the infection a week later. 

Biden and other senior administration officials were not told for days about his hospitalization or his cancer.

According to the doctors, the cancer was detected when Austin had a regular screening in early December. 

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They said his prostate cancer was detected early, and his prognosis was excellent.

Deluzio and Reed's offices did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.