'Heads have to roll': Outrage grows over Lloyd Austin hospitalization cover-up — but Biden won't fire him

Someone is likely to lose their job at the Pentagon over the shocking scandal involving Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's secret ICU hospitalization, but that person won't be the secretary.

Austin was hospitalized in the ICU at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center last Monday with serious complications following an elective medical procedure before Christmas. The Pentagon has not released details about the procedure or the complications.

But instead of informing President Joe Biden, senior members of the government, Congress, the Pentagon press corps, or even Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks — who, while on vacation in Puerto Rico, assumed partial responsibility for Austin's duties while unaware that he was hospitalized — about the secretary's hospitalization, Austin's staff told everyone that Austin was working remotely.

The scandal has resulted in outrage over the shocking lack of transparency and what appears to be outright deception regarding the health of a senior member of the Cabinet.

Politico reported Sunday that there is growing pressure for someone, anyone, to lose their job over the scandal.

"Someone's head has to roll," a Pentagon official told the outlet.

A former senior Defense Department official agreed, explaining, "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. Someone made the decision not to disclose. That person will likely be gone shortly."

"Heads have to roll," said Brett Bruen, a former diplomat who worked in the Obama administration. "This is not a minor miscommunication. It’s about the confidence that our national security structure has in its leadership and that the leadership is acting in a transparent way."

However, that person will not be Austin.

The White House confirmed on Monday that Biden is not considering firing Austin.

"The president is not considering replacing Secretary Austin," a White House official said. "The president continues to have full trust and confidence in the secretary."

Another official, moreover, told Politico that even if Austin were to offer his resignation, Biden would not accept it.

White House spokesperson John Kirby, meanwhile, downplayed the significance of the incident during a press gaggle on Monday, telling reporters the administration will review protocol for Cabinet officials notifying the White House of health problems.

"As you might expect, we’ll take a look at process and procedure here and try to learn from this experience," he said. "If there’s changes that need to be made in terms of process and procedure, we’ll do that."

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