A Pentagon mystery: Why was Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's hospital stay kept secret for days?

U.S. officials says that members of Congress and top Pentagon leaders were unaware for days that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had been hospitalized since Monday

WASHINGTON -- Members of Congress and Pentagon leaders 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.

And it remained unclear when the White House and other key U.S. officials were told about his stay at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

The Pentagon’s failure to disclose Austin’s hospitalization for days reflects a stunning lack of transparency about his illness, how serious it was and when he may be released. Such secrecy, at a time when the United States is juggling myriad national security crises, runs counter to normal practice with the president and other senior U.S. officials and Cabinet members.

Austin, 70, remained hospitalized due to complications following a minor elective medical procedure, his press secretary said, as it became clear how closely the Pentagon held information about his stay at Walter Reed.

Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said the White House and the Joint Chiefs of Staff were notified about Austin's hospitalization, but he would not say when that happened.