国防部新闻秘书周一为未能更透明地披露以下信息道歉国防部长劳埃德·奥斯汀最近住院-哪个白宫在他住院三天后得知此事因所谓的“小手术，选择性手术”引起的并发症。
奥斯汀在12月22日进行了一次选择性手术，然后第二天就回家了;然而，国防部新闻秘书帕特·赖德少将说，1月1日，“他开始感到剧烈疼痛，并被送回”马里兰州贝塞斯达的沃尔特·里德国家军事医疗中心。
赖德说，他是在1月2日星期二得知奥斯汀住院的消息的。白宫在周四晚上得知此事;周五下午，国会第一次被通知住院治疗——就在五角大楼新闻发布会公布之前不久。
五角大楼新闻秘书空军准将帕特·赖德于2023年10月19日在弗吉尼亚州阿灵顿五角大楼举行新闻发布会。
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images，文件
赖德周一对五角大楼记者团说:“我认识到我应该努力了解更多，并争取早日公开承认。”“所以我想道歉，并保证从这次经历中吸取教训。我会尽我所能达到你们对我们的期望。”
赖德在周四下午走上讲台接受媒体采访时知道了奥斯汀住院的消息，但他说他并没有跟进奥斯汀的病情。
赖德说，周二，奥斯汀的参谋长凯利·马格萨门(Kelly Magsamen)患流感，但她和奥斯汀的高级军事助手都知道他住院了。然而，他补充说，Magsamen的疾病导致了通知的延迟。
“我们目前正在审查如何批准这些通知程序，以包括白宫和国会的通知，”赖德说。
赖德提供了更多的细节，关于哪些国家的高级国防官员知道什么，什么时候知道。
赖德说，国防部副部长凯瑟琳·希克斯于周四得知奥斯汀住院的消息。他补充说，她与Magsamen合作，计划通知白宫和国会，并发表一份新闻声明。他们似乎花了几乎一整天的时间联系国会，并在周五下午发布了一份新闻稿。
奥斯汀住院的意外披露在政府内外引发了质疑，为什么在他接受治疗后这么晚才披露。
一位美国官员告诉ABC新闻，希克斯事先没有得到通知，当奥斯汀住院时，他正在波多黎各度假。希克斯——他经常代表奥斯汀做日常决定——自动承担起他的权力。
奥斯汀已不在重症监护室，但周一仍留院观察。赖德说:他的进展不错，但有些不适。
“我们现在还没有他出院的具体日期，但在此之前我们会继续提供每日更新，”赖德周一晚上说。
Pentagon press secretary apologizes for lack of transparency in Austin's secretive hospitalization
The Department of Defense's press secretary apologized Monday for not being more transparent about information regardingDefense Secretary Lloyd Austin's recent hospitalization-- which theWhite House learned about three days after he was hospitalizedfor complications resulting from what was characterized as "a minor, elective procedure."
Austin had an elective procedure on Dec. 22 and then went home the next day; however, on Jan. 1, "he began experiencing severe pain and was transported" back to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, said Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Department of Defense press secretary.
Ryder said he was informed about Austin's hospitalization on Tuesday, Jan. 2. The White House learned about it on Thursday night; Congress was first notified hospitalization on Friday afternoon -- shortly before it was made public in a Pentagon news release.
"I recognized that I should have tried to learn more, and to press for an earlier public acknowledgement," Ryder said Monday to the Pentagon press corps. "So I want to offer my apologies and my pledge to learn from this experience. And I will do everything I can to meet the standard that you expect from us."
Ryder knew of Austin's hospitalization when he went to the podium on Thursday afternoon for an on-camera briefing -- but said he had not followed up on Austin's condition.
On Tuesday, Austin's Chief of Staff Kelly Magsamen was sick with the flu, but she was made aware of his hospitalization, as was Austin's senior military aide, Ryder said. However, Magsamen's illness caused a delay in the notifications, he added.
"We are currently reviewing how we can approve these notification procedures to include White House and congressional notifications," Ryder said.
Ryder offered additional details about which of the country's top defense officials knew what and when.
Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks was made aware of Austin's hospitalization on Thursday, Ryder said. She worked with Magsamen on a plan to notify the White House and Congress as well as issue a press statement, he added. It appears it took them almost a full day to contact Congress and work up a press release that was issued Friday afternoon.
The surprise disclosure of Austin's hospitalization had raised questions inside and outside of government about why it was disclosed so late into his medical treatments.
Hicks had not been informed in advance and was on vacation in Puerto Rico when Austin was hospitalized, a U.S. official told ABC News. Hicks -- who has regularly made routine decisions on behalf of Austin -- was automatically tasked with assuming his authorities.
Austin is no longer in the ICU, but remained hospitalized Monday. He is making good progress and is in some discomfort, Ryder said.
"We do not have a specific date for his release from the hospital at this time but will continue to provide daily updates until then," Ryder said Monday evening.
