Staff Reports
After Lloyd Austin, the Secretary of Defense, underwent an unexpected surgery and ended up in the intensive care unit for days without letting President Joe Biden know, the White House has shockingly decided that there will be no consequences for this major slip-up. It’s as if they’re giving a free pass to someone who couldn’t even do the basic job of keeping the President informed about his health!
Republican Lawmakers: We Aren't Letting This Austin Scandal Go
https://t.co/cJceNjV05N— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 9, 2024
To make matters worse, even a deputy who was on vacation was unaware of Austin’s condition, and the National Security Council wasn’t brought into the loop right away. It’s like a game of telephone gone wrong, except instead of just getting a silly message at the end, U.S. national security was put at risk! Biden himself was left completely in the dark. The White House’s excuses try to make it seem like everything’s just peachy, but it’s clear as day that this situation is a hot mess.
John Kirby, the National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications, tried to smooth things over by saying that the main focus is on Austin’s health and recovery. But come on, shouldn’t the main focus be on, I don’t know, running the country and keeping the President informed? And Kirby’s talk of “taking a look at process and procedure” and making changes if necessary sounds like they’re just trying to cover their tracks and avoid taking real responsibility.
Then, to add insult to injury, Kirby praised Austin’s “leadership” over the years, including the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. It’s like giving a gold star to someone who flunked the test! The fact that the President and his team are okay with this lack of transparency and accountability is mind-boggling. They’re basically saying, “Hey, it’s cool if you drop the ball, as long as you pick it up eventually.”
Unsurprisingly, the Republicans on Capitol Hill aren’t buying the White House’s attempts to downplay the seriousness of the situation. Congressman Michael Waltz called it an “utter breakdown in the chain of command” and a “total dereliction of duty.” And he’s not wrong! It’s no wonder that the Republicans are digging their heels in and refusing to let this slide. After all, it’s their duty as the opposition party to hold the administration accountable and shine a spotlight on their incompetence.
In fact, Republican Congressman Matt Rosendale has even gone so far as to introduce articles of impeachment against Austin. It’s clear that the Republican Party isn’t taking this lightly and is ready to fight tooth and nail to bring some accountability to this messy situation. And frankly, who can blame them? When the government drops the ball this spectacularly, someone has to step in and clean up the mess. And it looks like the Republicans are up for the challenge.
