Nation Aug 02 Defense Secretary overrides plea agreement for 9/11 defendants, reinstates as death penalty cases The move comes two days after the military commission at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, announced it had reached plea deals with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two accused accomplices in the attacks. By Ellen Knickmeyer, Associated Press
Politics Feb 12 Defense Secretary Austin transfers powers to deputy while back in hospital Austin was diagnosed with prostate cancer in December and continues to deal with complications from his treatment. By Tara Copp, Associated Press
Nation Jan 08 Watch 5:17 Why the White House didn’t know about Defense Secretary Austin’s hospitalization The Pentagon said Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is out of intensive care after spending at least four days there last week for complications from an elective procedure performed before Christmas. But many questions about his illness remain, including why… By Nick Schifrin, Dan Sagalyn
Politics Jan 08 White House to review Defense Secretary Austin’s lack of disclosure on hospital stay Austin was hospitalized on Jan. 1, which the Pentagon did not disclose to the public until Friday. The Pentagon has refused to offer details about Austin’s medical procedures. By Seung Min Kim, Zeke Miller, Associated Press
Jan 08 Pentagon provides details on Defense Secretary Austin’s hospitalization, disclosure delay By Tara Copp, Colleen Long, Kevin Freking, Associated Press Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks and top government leaders were not notified until Jan. 4 that Austin had been hospitalized since Jan. 1. Continue reading
Jan 07 Watch 2:38 News Wrap: Blinken visits Qatar in diplomatic effort to contain Israel-Hamas war In our news wrap Sunday, Secretary of State Blinken continued his urgent mission to the Middle East as the Israel-Hamas war enters its fourth month, Defense Secretary Austin took responsibility for delays in disclosing his hospitalization, major winter storms dropped… Continue watching
Jan 06 Days of secrecy around Defense Secretary Austin’s hospital stay raise questions By Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press Senior Biden administration leaders, top Pentagon officials and members of Congress were unaware for days that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had been hospitalized since Monday, U.S. officials said Saturday, as questions swirled about his condition and the secrecy surrounding it. Continue reading
Apr 11 WATCH: Blinken, Austin hold meeting with Indian counterparts to discuss war in Ukraine, approach to Russia By Associated Press U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin held a morning in-person meeting with Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also met met with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. Continue reading
Apr 11 Pentagon chief declares ‘ironclad’ U.S. commitment to Israel By Robert Burns, Associated Press U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Sunday declared an “enduring and ironclad” American commitment to Israel, reinforcing support at a tense time in Israeli politics and amid questions about the Biden administration’s efforts to revive nuclear negotiations with Israel’s archenemy,… Continue reading