Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley took a hit at Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, calling it “unforgivable” that he did not let President Biden know he was in the hospital.
“My husband is deployed right now. As a military spouse, the idea that the secretary of defense would not be in contact with the president, much less in contact with his staff, is unforgivable,” she said at Wednesday’s Republican presidential primary debate in Iowa.
Mr. Austin was taken to the hospital Jan. 1 for complications from previous surgery to treat prostate cancer. He returned to work on Jan. 5 from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Lawmakers and politicians have criticized Mr. Austin for keeping his hospital stay quiet after it came out that his staff and Mr. Biden didn’t know for days.
• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.
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