The Biden administration on Monday confirmed the identity of an ISIS-K suicide bomber who killed several U.S. service members and scores of Afghans in 2021.
The Department of Defense (DOD) <a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3741245/kabul-airport-attack-review-reaffirms-initial-findings-identifies-attacker/">identified</a> the terrorist as Abdul Rahman al-Logari. Al-Logari detonated a bomb outside of Hamid Karzai International Airport’s Abbey Gate in the final days of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, killing 170 Afghans and 13 U.S. service members.
“With access to analysis from across the intelligence community, we were able to identify the Abbey Gate person-borne IED bomber as Abdul Rahman al-Logari, an [ISIS-K] member since 2016,” an Army official from the joint supplemental review team said, according to the DOD.  
The DOD identified al-Logari for the first time in a supplemental review of an investigation into the terror attack on Abbey Gate. U.S. Army Central Command (CENTCOM) completed and released the results of the review on Monday, confirming al-Logari’s identity. 
Al-Logari was one of thousands of prisoners and detainees released from Bagram Air Base by the Taliban after U.S. personnel evacuated the base in July 2021 ahead of the full military withdrawal. The Taliban set al-Logari free in mid-August 2021. The ISIS-K terrorist carried out his deadly attack at Abbey Gate on August 26.
As the U.S. completed its withdrawal from Hamid Karzai International Airport, the U.S. military <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/in-its-last-days-in-kabul-u-s-turns-to-taliban-as-a-partner-11630105650">turned over</a> security for Kabul to the Taliban.
The U.S. evacuated Afghanistan in a rush to hit a deadline at the end of August. U.S. officials were concerned about volatility in the region and what the Taliban may do if the U.S. did not meet the deadline. In its haste, the U.S. <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/27/politics/afghan-weapons-left-behind/index.html">abandoned</a> billions of dollars worth of equipment in Afghanistan.
The DOD said the review did not change the original finding of the report that the attack on Abbey Gate was not preventable. ISIS-K had multiple suicide bombers available and would have been able to carry out the attack with or without al-Logari.
“This supports the conclusion that the attack at Abbey Gate was not preventable at the tactical level,” an official said, according to the DOD.
Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) is chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and has led the House investigation into the Abbey Gate terror attack. The Biden administration opened the supplemental review into Abbey Gate in response to testimony given to McCaul’s committee.
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“This report confirmed what witnesses have told this committee: the Taliban was executing civilians outside the airport. The executions caused mass chaos around the airport as large and desperate crowds of civilians sought to flee, creating a deadly operating environment for U.S. servicemembers at the gates amid significant ISIS-K threats,” McCaul said in a <a href="https://foreignaffairs.house.gov/press-release/mccaul-on-dods-updated-abbey-gate-investigation/">statement</a>. “The report also finally reveals the identity of the Abbey Gate bomber as Abdul Rahman al-Logari, an ISIS-K terrorist who was freed from the Bagram prison by the Taliban.”
“With this report revealing the Biden administration has been sitting on critical information about what happened during the emergency evacuation from Afghanistan, it is clear there are many more questions to be answered. I am absolutely determined to see this investigation through to completion and will leave no stone unturned,” McCaul stated.

Hamid Karzai International Airport

Biden Admin Confirms ID Of Abbey Gate Bomber, Terrorist Set Free During Afghanistan Withdrawal

Afghanistan

Department of Defense

ISIS-K

Kabul

Terrorism

World

On Wednesday, Republicans will introduce a bill in the Senate and House of Representatives that would expedite the Department of Defense’s use of quantum information science.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) will introduce the &#8220;Defense Quantum Acceleration Act.&#8221;
The bill would have the Secretary of Defense “explore and identify QIS technologies that have demonstrated value in advancing the priorities and missions of the Department; and may be applied to address operational problems; develop plans to transition such QIS technologies from the research and development phase to operational use within the Department, including within each of the Armed Forces; and carry out such transition plans,” it <a href="https://admin.govexec.com/media/general/2024/4/stefny_085_xml%5B88%5D.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">states</a>.
“Information that’s encrypted on the <a href="https://quantumxc.com/blog/quantum-cryptography-explained/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">quantum level</a> can’t be secretly intercepted because attempting to measure a quantum property changes it,” <a href="https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2024/04/new-bill-would-greatly-expand-defense-department-quantum-efforts/395604/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Defense One</a> explains, adding, “China has outpaced the Defense Department in terms of investment in quantum technology, dedicating <a href="https://www.sdxcentral.com/articles/analysis/china-invests-billions-in-quantum-computing-race-with-us-now-neck-and-neck/2024/02/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$15 billion over the next five years</a>—or $3 billion a year—as opposed to the <a href="https://iq.govwin.com/neo/marketAnalysis/view/FY-2023-Defense-Investment-in-Quantum-Information-Science/6864?researchTypeId=1&amp;researchMarket=" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$700 million</a> yearly Defense Department investment.”
“According to NAS (National Academy of Sciences), ‘quantum computers are the only known model for computing that could offer exponential speedup over today’s computers,’” the Congressional Research Service <a href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF11836/7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a>. NAS also asserted that “the development, standardization, and deployment of post-quantum cryptography is critical for minimizing the chance of a potential security and privacy disaster.”
“Quantum’s impact on our national security will be considerable, and we must take immediate steps to ensure the United States is the first nation to reach quantum advantage. This bill will ensure the Department of Defense, led by the incredible work at [The U.S. Air Force Rome Laboratory in New York] is able to outpace our adversaries and rapidly develop and transition quantum technologies to our service members,” Stefanik <a href="https://stefanik.house.gov/2024/4/stefanik-blackburn-introduce-the-defense-quantum-acceleration-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a>.
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Chris Padilla, vice president of government and regulatory affairs at IBM, said the Defense Quantum Acceleration Act “helps ensure the Department of Defense embraces this revolutionary technology. For national defense and economic security reasons, the United States must maintain a leadership position in quantum computing, and this legislation supports that effort. IBM encourages Congress to pass it and the administration to begin deploying quantum-centric supercomputing.”

Chicago Bets On Quantum Tech As ‘Next Big Thing’ For Its Future

GOP Introduces Bill Pushing DOD To Expedite Using Quantum Info Science

Quantum computing

Republican

During a Senate hearing on Tuesday, Defense Secretary <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/lloyd-austin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lloyd Austin</a> pushed back against claims of a genocide being committed in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/gaza" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gaza</a>, where <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/israel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Israel</a> is fighting <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hamas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hamas terrorists.</a>
Sen. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tom-cotton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tom Cotton</a> (R-AR) asked Austin to give a response to activists, some of whom have <a href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/protesters-interrupt-secretary-of-defense-lloyd-austin-as-news-photo/2148025292?adppopup=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accused</a> the defense secretary himself of facilitating <a href="https://twitter.com/answercoalition/status/1739271658655932696" target="_blank" rel="noopener">genocide</a>, after he testified that Hamas has been committing war crimes by using civilians as human shields.
&#8220;We don&#8217;t have any evidence of genocide being created,&#8221; Austin said. When pressed to address whether Israel specifically is committing genocide, he added, &#8220;We don&#8217;t have evidence of that, to my knowledge.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
COTTON: &quot;Address protestors: Is Israel committing genocide in Gaza?&quot; AUSTIN: &quot;We don&#39;t have any evidence of genocide being created&quot; &quot;So that&#39;s a no. Israel is not committing genocide in Gaza&quot; &quot;We don&#39;t have evidence of that&quot; &quot;Better than Dir. Burns and Dir. Haines did last month&quot; <a href="https://t.co/cdWd5Ue3hZ">pic.twitter.com/cdWd5Ue3hZ</a>
&mdash; Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) <a href="https://twitter.com/HowardMortman/status/1777716557017162126?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Cotton credited Austin with doing &#8220;better&#8221; than CIA Director William Burns and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines when they <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?534027-1/senate-select-intelligence-committee-hearing-global-threats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">testified</a> last month. When asked if Israel was &#8220;exterminating&#8221; the Palestinians, neither Burns nor Haines answered the question directly.
Israeli forces have been fighting Hamas in the Gaza Strip for more than six months after Hamas launched an attack on Israel in October that killed roughly 1,200 people. Some on the Left, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/04/08/israel-gaza-war-elizabeth-warren-00151120" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claim</a> the war has escalated to the point of genocide.
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Austin stressed that the United States has been &#8220;committed to help assist Israel in defending its territory and its people by providing security assistance.&#8221; The defense secretary also said he &#8220;absolutely&#8221; denied accusations that he personally has facilitated genocide.
The United States continues to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/03/29/us-weapons-israel-gaza-war/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">supply weapons</a> to Israel, but the White House announced last week that President Joe Biden <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/04/04/readout-of-president-joe-bidens-call-with-prime-minister-netanyahu-of-israel-3/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that further U.S. assistance would depend on steps taken to protect aid workers and civilians.
In the face of growing pushback from Biden over the campaign, as well as a <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/03/25/1240669997/united-nations-security-council-cease-fire-resolution-gaza-israel-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener">demand</a> by the United Nations for a ceasefire, Netanyahu said on Sunday there would be <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/world/israel-withdraws-all-ground-troops-southern-gaza-leaving-one-idf-brigade-enclave" target="_blank" rel="noopener">no ceasefire</a> until all the remaining <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/idf-pulls-ground-troops-from-southern-gaza-stresses-war-is-not-over-until-hostages-are-free" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hostages are free</a>.
Austin <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef/status/1777494200021369121" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a post to X on Monday that he spoke with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant to discuss the &#8220;urgent need&#8221; to improve humanitarian assistance delivery to Gaza and protect aid workers. The secretary also said he &#8220;affirmed U.S. support to Israel in the face of Iranian threats.&#8221;

Lloyd Austin, US secretary of defense

Defense Secretary Austin Shoots Down Claims Of Genocide In Gaza

Gaza

genocide

Global Politics

Hamas

Israel

Lloyd Austin

Pentagon

Politics

Tom Cotton

The Biden administration’s Department of Defense leaned on debunked McKinsey and Company studies touting the benefits of diversity as justification to embed the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) agenda into the military.
The consulting giant&#8217;s debunked studies, with titles such as “Diversity Wins” and “Diversity Matters,” are referenced in multiple reports from the Navy, a Pentagon newsletter, and a document from the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute, all of which advocate for the DEI agenda to be embedded deeper into the operations of the U.S. military.
McKinsey and Company published a number of studies claiming that the use of DEI policies led to increased profitability for corporations, stating that companies become more profitable as their executive levels become more diverse. But now the results have come under scrutiny, with a <a href="https://econjwatch.org/File+download/1296/GreenHandMar2024.pdf?mimetype=pdf">study</a> from Econ Journal Watch finding that McKinsey’s studies were deeply flawed.
“Caution is warranted in relying on McKinsey’s findings to support the view that US publicly traded firms can deliver improved financial performance if they increase the racial/ethnic diversity of their executives,” the study reads. It goes on to point out that the McKinsey study measured “firm financial performance over the four or five years leading up to the year in which they judge the race/ethnicity of firms’ executives,” a testing structure that the Econ Journal Watch says is unable to substantiate the claims of the McKinsey study.
The flawed findings from McKinsey were used to justify the DEI agenda, not just by corporations, but by the Biden administration’s Department of Defense. The DOD’s embrace of the far-left ideology came in the wake of Biden’s <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/06/25/executive-order-on-diversity-equity-inclusion-and-accessibility-in-the-federal-workforce/">Executive Order 14035</a> in June of 2021, which directed the federal bureaucracy to embrace the DEI agenda.
The revelation comes as the Pentagon and other federal agencies work relentlessly to embed the DEI agenda into policies and practices, spending hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to do so.
Various different entities within the DOD justified their DEI policies by appealing to the flawed McKinsey studies. One <a href="https://www.dcpas.osd.mil/sites/default/files/HRFC%20Newsletter%20-%20November%202022.pdf">edition</a> of the Defense Civilian Personnel Advisory Service Newsletter explicitly referenced studies from McKinsey.
“[T]here is a business case for the Department’s prioritization of DEI as normal operations,” the newsletter reads. “McKinsey &amp; Company reports diversity in executive teams makes them stronger and ‘the most diverse companies are now more likely than ever to outperform less diverse peers on profitability,’” it goes on to say, referencing a study called “Diversity Wins: How Inclusion Matters.”
Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN), who serves as the Chairman of the Anti-Woke Caucus and is a member of the House Armed Services Committee, warned that Biden is leveraging faulty studies to further an explicitly political agenda.
“The Biden administration is using junk science to transform our military into a far-left social experiment and push conservatives away from service. DEI divides, shrinks, and weakens our military, all to the benefit of Communist China,” Banks told The Daily Wire.
At least two different documents published by the Navy also rely on the findings of the flawed McKinsey studies. The Navy’s “<a href="https://media.defense.gov/2022/Jan/12/2002921211/-1/-1/0/CY21%20HOF_FINAL%20(11%20JAN%2022).PDF">Health of the Force</a>” report in 2021 reads “Gender-diverse organizations are 15% more likely to outperform other organizations, and diverse organizations are 35% more likely to outperform their non-diverse counterparts,” citing McKinsey’s 2015 study, “Diversity Matters.”
Then again in the Navy’s “<a href="https://media.defense.gov/2021/Jan/26/2002570959/-1/-1/1/TASK%20FORCE%20ONE%20NAVY%20FINAL%20REPORT.PDF">Task Force One</a>” report, the military branch asserted that “gender-diverse” organizations are likely to outperform “non-diverse counterparts,” again citing the same study from McKinsey.
There’s also a collection of news articles <a href="https://www.defenseculture.mil/Portals/90/Documents/Research/Library/NEWS-20210701.pdf">compiled</a> by the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute, which <a href="https://www.defenseculture.mil/About-DEOMI/Vision-Mission-Strategic-Plan/#visionmission">exists</a> to “advance an agile and inclusive force.” The Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute highlighted one article that touted the flawed McKinsey studies.
“They found companies in the top quartile of gender diversity and those in the top quartile of racial/ethnic diversity were more likely to generate financial returns above their national industry median,” the article says, also directly referring to a McKinsey study.
While the DOD has used the flawed studies to grant legitimacy to Biden’s DEI agenda, the Pentagon has aggressively pushed leftwing ideological material and policies on the federal bureaucracy and armed forces at great cost to the taxpayer. The DOD has spent as much as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bidens-pentagon-slated-to-spend-nearly-270-million-on-diversity-agenda">$270 million</a> on the DEI agenda from fiscal years 2022 to 2024.
The ideological bias within the military was exemplified recently when the United States Air Force Academy <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/air-force-academy-highlights-transgender-officer-at-leadership-summit">hosted a transgender military official</a> who led the effort for the military to recognize “transgender day of visibility” at a leadership symposium, where he told the cadets to push for transgender inclusion within the military.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
WATCH🎥: The U.S. Air Force Academy hosted a transgender Pentagon official for a symposium on inclusion. Our military is focused on transgender dogma while wars rage on two continents. 
Here he is at a pride celebration calling for &quot;intentional inclusivity&quot; in the military 🧵 <a href="https://t.co/6BAbEwrS4j">pic.twitter.com/6BAbEwrS4j</a>
&mdash; Spencer Lindquist 🇺🇸 (@SpencerLndqst) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpencerLndqst/status/1763327970893254985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 29, 2024</a></blockquote>
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There was also a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-leaked-nsa-doc-reveals-massive-woke-glossary-pushing-critical-race-theory-gender-ideology-on-govt-employees">DEI glossary</a> produced by the National Security Agency (NSA), exclusively obtained by The Daily Wire, that included terms like “white fragility,” “queer theory,” “settler colonialism,” and the gender-neutral pronouns “ze” and “zir.”
Even the United States’ top intelligence office, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), has been captured by far-left ideologues. A newsletter sent by ODNI to the entire Intelligence Community, including intelligence components within each branch of the military as well as the FBI, CIA, and NSA, urged agents to avoid using <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/internal-docs-show-entire-intelligence-community-warned-to-avoid-problematic-phrases-on-islamic-terrorism">“hurtful” language</a> when discussing Islamic terrorism. It even included an article from an anonymous intelligence official who claimed that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bidens-top-intelligence-agency-says-crossdressing-makes-man-better-intelligence-officer-internal-docs-show">crossdressing</a> makes him a better intelligence agent.
While the Biden administration has worked to embed far-left beliefs on race and gender into the military and other aspects of the federal government, policy architects from the former Trump administration have <a href="https://www.axios.com/2022/07/22/trump-presidency-schedule-f-federal-employees">crafted plans</a> to gut the administrative state if Trump is reelected, using tools like <a href="https://www.axios.com/2022/07/22/trump-presidency-schedule-f-federal-employees">Schedule F</a>, an executive order, to strip civil service employment protections from bureaucrats who have influence over the policy-making process.
“We will pass critical reforms making every executive branch employee fireable by the president of the United States,” Trump said at a rally, <a href="https://www.govexec.com/workforce/2022/03/trump-threatening-return-and-expansion-schedule-f/363145/">touting</a> the plan. “The deep state must be brought to heel.”
Others are preparing to fill in the gap left by outgoing officials, assembling a personnel database of those who might serve in the next administration through the <a href="https://www.project2025.org/">Project 2025</a> Presidential Transition Project, an initiative from the Heritage Foundation that seeks to “pave the way for an effective conservative Administration.”

LGBT Military

Biden’s Pentagon Used Debunked McKinsey Studies To Justify DEI In The Military

LGBT

Military

The United States Air Force Academy showcased a transgender-identifying activist and military service member who seeks to embed far-left gender ideology in the armed forces for a speech on leadership and inclusion.
Lieutenant Colonel Bree Fram, an engineer with the United States Space Force and activist for transgenderism in the military, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NGVPO9m75k">spoke</a> at the National Character and Leadership Symposium, the theme of which was “Embrace Culture, Empower People.” The military official <a href="https://www.breefram.com/about-me.html">states</a> that he is a co-leader of the Department of the Air Force LGBTQ+ Initiatives Team, which he says is “dedicated to eliminating barriers to LGBTQ+ military service in the Air and Space Force.”
Fram was introduced at the Air Force Academy event as “one of the highest-ranking out transgender officers in the United States military” and a “featured speaker on leadership, diversity, and inclusion.” He is also an activist on behalf of transgenderism, previously serving as the <a href="https://spartapride.org/bree-fram/#:~:text=A%20member%20of%20SPARTA%20since,and%20resides%20in%20Northern%20Virginia.">president</a> of SPARTA, “a non-profit that advocates and educates about transgender military service.”
“Inclusion takes action, inclusion requires asking, inclusion requires understanding, and it is more work, it is a lot more work for a leader but I need you to be willing to do it,” Fram said to the crowd while wearing a patch on his uniform bearing a rainbow flag. “In the future, we are going to fight and win war with brain power, and if those brains happen to be in a trans body … you should want them serving alongside you. Because they might be the ones that revolutionize the way we fight in space, in cyber or in any other domain of war.”
The speech comes as the Pentagon has promoted a leftwing agenda, asking for a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bidens-pentagon-slated-to-spend-nearly-270-million-on-diversity-agenda">whopping $114 million</a> in fiscal year 2024 alone to fund diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts such as “unconscious bias diversity training,” and “training programs and diversity and inclusion initiatives,” a Daily Wire investigation revealed. The Air Force&#8217;s <a href="https://www.jbmdl.jb.mil/Portals/47/LIT%20Fact%20sheet.pdf?ver=yIWVbsIH_nfCsiS1C5XPFw%3D%3D">LGBT Initiatives Team</a>, which Fram has helped lead, has also pushed leftwing ideology in the military, <a href="https://www.edwards.af.mil/News/AFMC-News/Air-Force-Features/Article/2979991/daf-recognizes-transgender-day-of-visibility/">celebrating transgender day of visibility.</a>
The far-left ideological capture of America’s military coincides with an unprecedented recruiting crisis, with the Air Force, the Army, and the Navy all <a href="https://www.wavy.com/news/military/u-s-military-sees-record-breaking-low-recruitment-numbers/#:~:text=The%20Department%20of%20Defense%20(DOD,%2C%20Navy%2C%20and%20Air%20Force.">missing their recruiting goals</a> in fiscal year 2023 and a <a href="https://thefederalist.com/2024/01/12/white-men-dont-want-to-join-an-army-that-tells-them-they-arent-wanted/">particularly sharp decline</a> in white recruits. Republican officials have <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/video/6336706614112">warned</a> that the politicization of the military could be alienating citizens who would otherwise consider joining the armed forces.
But despite concerns that the far-left agenda might be dissuading potential recruits, Fram went on to ask those with leadership positions in the military to support leftwing agendas, showing a slide that says military members can “be allies by standing with and supporting marginalized communities … and advocates by speaking out and raising awareness on issues.”
He also appeared to express concern over the potential reelection of former President Donald Trump.
“While I don’t have a crystal ball, I can look out and say, &#8216;Well, either next year things will be great or I will be fighting for my ability to continue serving,'&#8221; Fram said.
After publication of this story, an Air Force spokesman said the academy &#8220;was fortunate to have Col Bree Fram speak.&#8221;
&#8220;Her talk reinforced the value of diversity within our military and the importance of removing unnecessary barriers to service,&#8221; the spokesman said. &#8220;Col Fram has had a distinguished career in both the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Space Force and has used her experience and leadership to support our warfighting mission as well as inclusion within the Armed Forces.&#8221;
The spokesperson also stated that it is the official position of the Air Force Academy that men can become women, adding that &#8220;intentional misgendering&#8221; may constitute discrimination.
&#8220;Consistent with DoD and DAF policy, yes, the U.S. Air Force Academy recognizes that an individual’s internal or personal sense of gender may not match the individual’s sex assigned at birth,&#8221; the spokesman told The Daily Wire upon being asked whether or not the academy believed that people can legitimately change their sex. The spokesman went on to say that &#8220;intentional misgendering of an individual may be considered harassment or discrimination under our Equal Opportunity policies.&#8221;
Fram has a history of pushing the transgender agenda in the military, arguing that inclusion is a matter of national security at a recent women’s empowerment conference.
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Trans Lt. Colonel suggests inclusion is a matter of national security. 
The world is laughing at us. <a href="https://t.co/rmjtLoSU89">pic.twitter.com/rmjtLoSU89</a>
&mdash; Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1741490835051720813?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;
He also spoke at a Department of Defense <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRez_lHF_f0&amp;t=1s">Pride event</a> in 2022, where he was introduced as an “unwavering advocate for transgender service members” who “transitioned while in command position.”
He explained that he taught a lesson on leadership to military officers, where he shared with them that he “was two days away from a 10-hour surgery to give me a new lease on life.” He also celebrated that a colleague of his changed official Air Force policy to allow service members to include their pronouns in their bio “including they/them for our non-binary service members.”
“We must focus on … intentional inclusivity,” Fram said before adding, “For all of you out there, I ask you to set out your symbols of pride, share your pronouns in your email, particularly if you’re a person who doesn’t think they need to, initiate difficult conversations about racial and gender barriers, and share a bit of your vulnerability in a way that draws others in.”
“Remember that we mark Pride not beginning with a celebration, but with a riot,” he said in the speech. “I’m not asking you to pick up your bricks, but I am asking you to pick up your ideas about how we can be a more inclusive service.”
Lieutenant Colonel Bree Fram did not respond to a request for comment. 
This piece was updated on March 1 to include comment from the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Screenshot from U.S. Air Force Academy Video

Air Force Academy Highlights Transgender Officer At Leadership Summit

Transgender

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/house-republicans" target="_blank" rel="noopener">House Republicans</a> engaged Defense Secretary <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/lloyd-austin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lloyd Austin</a> with pointed lines of questioning as he testified on Thursday about his secretive hospitalization earlier this year <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/walter-reed-medical-center-reveals-why-lloyd-austin-was-hospitalized" target="_blank" rel="noopener">following a procedure to treat prostate cancer</a> and other issues.
During a House Armed Service Committee hearing, GOP members pressed Austin over concerns about a break in the chain of command and accountability. Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL) declared, &#8220;Someone needs to be held accountable.&#8221; Democrats used the opportunity to push for the passage of more aid to war-torn Ukraine, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/29/us/politics/austin-hearing-cancer-hospital.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to The New York Times</a>.
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/RepMikeRogersAL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepMikeRogersAL</a> SLAMS Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin&#39;s failed transparency:
“You are solely responsible…This administration has gone to great lengths to avoid accountability whenever possible, but this is a matter of national security, and someone needs to be held accountable.” <a href="https://t.co/AqGNTRf0xZ">pic.twitter.com/AqGNTRf0xZ</a>
&mdash; Conservative War Machine (@WarMachineRR) <a href="https://twitter.com/WarMachineRR/status/1763222450462953618?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 29, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Austin testified that he did &#8220;<a href="https://twitter.com/USATODAY/status/1763263343668662709">not handle this right</a>,&#8221; referring to the Department of Defense (DoD) failing to quickly alert other officials about his health, but <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/29/politics/lloyd-austin-congress-hearing/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN reported</a> that he repeatedly insisted there was &#8220;never a break in command and control&#8221; at the Pentagon.
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), the chairwoman of the House Republican Conference who has called on Austin to resign, pressed the secretary on whether a junior service member would be disciplined for not reporting for duty.
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Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) asks Defense Sec. Austin if a junior service member would be disciplined for not reporting for duty:
Austin: “I think the chain of command would be concerned about why they were in a hospital.” <a href="https://t.co/rdJOvqHix0">pic.twitter.com/rdJOvqHix0</a>
&mdash; The Recount (@therecount) <a href="https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1763242747127795724?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 29, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;If a service member was in a hospital I think the chain of command would be concerned about why they were in the hospital and make sure that they are doing the right things to take care of them and their families,&#8221; Austin said.
&#8220;But don&#8217;t you think it&#8217;s their responsibility to notify their commanding officer?&#8221; Stefanik asked as a follow-up question. &#8220;I think, possible, yes,&#8221; Austin replied, to which Stefanik shot back, &#8220;The answer is yes.&#8221;
Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN), a Navy veteran who served in Afghanistan, pressed Austin on whether he &#8220;usually&#8221; goes days without talking to President Joe Biden.
&#8220;I mean, that can happen,&#8221; Austin said. He noted there are times in which either he or the commander-in-chief is traveling and do not engage in direct communication.
&#8220;Either the president is that aloof or you are irrelevant — which one is it?&#8221; Banks asked. He also pointed out that the Pentagon did not notify the White House for <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/biden-says-confidence-austin-scrutiny-defense-secretarys-hospitalizati-rcna133758" target="_blank" rel="noopener">three days</a> about Austin&#8217;s intensive care unit stay.
&#8220;It&#8217;s neither,&#8221; Austin <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1763250433118679082" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in his reply. &#8220;The president is not aloof.&#8221;
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Rep. Jim Banks: &quot;Do you usually go days without talking to the commander-in-chief?&quot;
Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin: &quot;I mean, that can happen&#8230;&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/RepJimBanks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepJimBanks</a>: &quot;Either the president is that aloof or you are irrelevant — which one is it?&quot;
Austin: &quot;The president is not aloof!&quot; <a href="https://t.co/3rOpXFJN3C">pic.twitter.com/3rOpXFJN3C</a>
&mdash; RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1763250433118679082?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 29, 2024</a></blockquote>
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During another <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMattGaetz/status/1763243788389028248" target="_blank" rel="noopener">exchange</a> that touched on the COVID pandemic, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) said Austin did not immediately inform the president about his treatment for cancer and the complications that followed that prompted a hospital visit because he viewed the matter as personal and private.
&#8220;Now that you see how personal medical decisions are, will you call for the re-recruitment, restoration of full rank and back pay for the 8,600 service members who were vax-mandated out of the military?” Gaetz asked.
&#8220;No, I won&#8217;t,&#8221; Austin said. As the exchange continued, Austin <a href="https://gaetz.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-gaetz-confronts-secretary-austin-unauthorized-medical-absence-and" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told Gaetz</a> that he does not expect to be discharged, suspended, or demoted over the controversy he faces.
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BREAKING: As Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin begs Congress for grace and forgiveness after his unauthorized absence was exposed earlier this year, he REFUSED to give that same grace to the 8,600 service members he kicked out due to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate! 
GAETZ: “Now that… <a href="https://t.co/MuVZgBfA9m">pic.twitter.com/MuVZgBfA9m</a>
&mdash; Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMattGaetz/status/1763243788389028248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 29, 2024</a></blockquote>
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After noting how <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/10/politics/military-covid-vaccine-rescinded/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Biden signed off</a> on lifting his administration&#8217;s own military vaccine mandate, Gaetz said, &#8220;You&#8217;re not meeting your own standards that you set for yourself. And you say that the DoD is a learning organization. Haven&#8217;t you learned yet that the military is weaker, not stronger, with the 8,600 people that you&#8217;ve vax-mandated out of the military?&#8221;
In response, Austin said, &#8220;The reason I&#8217;m here is because the chairman requested that I appear to talk about the circumstances surrounding my hospitalization.&#8221;
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Mike Waltz goes off on Lloyd Austin:
&quot;The American people, truck drivers, bartenders, know they have to tell their boss or they get fired — but you’ve held yourself to a different standard, and that’s unacceptable.” <a href="https://t.co/R0NKchTLzG">pic.twitter.com/R0NKchTLzG</a>
&mdash; Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) <a href="https://twitter.com/CitizenFreePres/status/1763247720192508214?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 29, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL), a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/congressman-and-green-beret-explodes-on-mark-milley-his-retirement-couldnt-come-soon-enough" target="_blank" rel="noopener">retired colonel</a> in the Army National Guard and veteran Green Beret, argued that the hospitalization controversy was not about process but rather judgement.
&#8220;The American people, truck drivers, bartenders, know they have to tell their boss or they get fired — but you’ve held yourself to a different standard, and that’s unacceptable,&#8221; he <a href="https://twitter.com/CitizenFreePres/status/1763247720192508214" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin

House Republicans Grill Def Sec Austin Over Transparency: ‘You’ve Held Yourself To A Different Standard’

House Republicans Grill Def Sec Austin Over Transparency: 'You’ve Held Yourself To A Different Standard'

Cabinet

Congress

Executive

House Republicans

National Security

U.S. House of Representatives

The Pentagon said on Saturday that a high altitude balloon being monitored by the military as it floats across the United States is a hobby balloon and not another Chinese spy balloon. 
The Department of Defense <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/military-tracking-balloon-western-us-military/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> CBS News that a balloon flying across the Western United States at altitudes of between 43,000 to 45,000 feet was just a “hobbyist” balloon. Previously the Department said that the balloon was not believed to be a threat but that it would continue tracking the craft after the balloon&#8217;s presence was reported on Friday. 
North American Aerospace Command (NORAD) fighter jets <a href="https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/military/balloon-intercepted-norad-jets-utah/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">flew out</a> to the craft and found it “not maneuverable,” saying that it was not a “threat to national security.” The balloon was reportedly made of Mylar and is carrying a small box. 
&#8220;NORAD will continue to track and monitor the balloon,&#8221; a defense official said on Friday, &#8220;The FAA also determined the balloon posed no hazard to flight safety. NORAD remains in close coordination with the FAA to ensure flight safety.&#8221;
The emergence of this balloon comes just over a year after the Air Force shot down a Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina after it crossed the continental United States. The spy balloon was shot down at an altitude of approximately 58,000 feet after it was allowed to float over the United States for days.
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The Biden administration <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-planned-on-hiding-from-congress-the-news-that-a-chinese-spy-balloon-entered-u-s-airspace-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> planned on not telling the public or Congress that the balloon had crossed into U.S. airspace. Days before the presence of the spy balloon had been reported, Gen. Glen VanHerck, the head of NORAD, alerted Gen. Mark Milley, then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, about the existence of the balloon and the U.S.’ efforts to track it.
The news set off panic in the Biden administration, which scrambled for more than a week to figure out what they were going to do in response.
A report from NBC News that Biden officials were privately “complain[ing]” about “the political outcry over the balloon” because they did not view a balloon that was designed to collect intelligence on sensitive U.S. military sites as being a serious “threat” to U.S. national security.

Advanced Fighter Jets Flying Together Above The Clouds. Accelerates And Disappears.

Pentagon Says High-Altitude Balloon Spotted Over Western U.S. Is ‘Hobbyist’ Balloon

Balloon

China

Joe Biden

The Government Accountability Office said on Friday that the federal government is on an “unsustainable fiscal path,” and that it could not determine whether the federal government’s consolidated financial statements are reliable. 
Accounting problems with the Defense Department, Education Department, and other agencies have all contributed to the financial problems, according to the GAO. The office was unable to properly evaluate the financial reliability of the federal government as the national debt continues to balloon and deficit spending remains high. 
“Congress and the Administration need reliable and complete financial information, within each agency and across the government as a whole, to govern effectively and efficiently,” <a href="https://www.gao.gov/press-release/gao-unable-provide-opinion-u.s.-governments-financial-statements#:~:text=%E2%80%9CAlso%2C%20the%20federal%20government%20continues,any%20challenges%20that%20may%20occur.%E2%80%9D" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Gene Dodaro, the comptroller general of the United States and head of the GAO.
“Also, the federal government continues to operate on an unsustainable fiscal path, jeopardizing the country’s long-term position to face domestic and international challenges. The creation of a long-term fiscal plan is needed to strengthen our readiness to confront any challenges that may occur,” Dodaro added. 
According to GAO, the Defense Department is partially at fault due to “financial management problems,” while the Education Department was plagued by data problems for estimating costs of its loan programs. Additionally, problems remain with the Small Business Administration’s COVID-era relief programs and several government agencies made over $236 billion in “improper payments.”
The Pentagon has repeatedly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/flagrant-disregard-for-taxpayer-funds-pentagon-fails-sixth-consecutive-audit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> been criticized</a> over its handling of taxpayer money, failing to pass its annual financial audit for the sixth consecutive year in November. The Pentagon, which has $3.8 trillion in assets alongside $4 trillion in liabilities, <a href="https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2023/11/16/pentagon-fails-sixth-audit-with-number-of-passing-grades-stagnant/?utm_campaign=dfn-ebb&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=sailthr">only had</a> seven of 30 sub-audits rated clean by auditors.
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On Thursday, the GAO released a <a href="https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-106987" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> on the nation&#8217;s fiscal health that highlighted the federal government’s massive deficit spending. The report urged Congress to come up with a plan to address the spending and fiscal path of the United States. 
The report found that debt would reach 200% of the GDP by 2050 unless changes were made to revenue and spending policies. It also said that funding for Social Security and Medicare was expected to be depleted within ten years unless financing gaps were addressed. 
The United States’ debt now <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/greatest-threat-to-americas-national-security-national-debt-hits-34-trillion-for-first-time" target="_blank" rel="noopener">exceeds $34 trillion</a>, a marker it crossed in January just months after hitting $33 trillion.

U.S. Congress Wrangles With Agreement To Solve Government Shutdown

Federal Government On ‘Unsustainable Fiscal Path’ That Is Jeopardizing The Country, Congressional Watchdog Says

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The Pentagon announced on Tuesday that Defense Secretary <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/lloyd-austin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lloyd Austin</a> had been released from the hospital after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/doctors-say-def-sec-austin-underwent-non-surgical-procedures-for-bladder-issue" target="_blank" rel="noopener">receiving treatment</a> for a bladder issue that prompted him to transfer duties to his deputy for a second time in two months.
A statement was released within hours of his departure from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, part of a shift toward more transparency after Austin, 70, faced blowback for not informing top brass in the Biden administration and Congress about his hospitalization on January 1 for complications <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/walter-reed-medical-center-reveals-why-lloyd-austin-was-hospitalized" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stemming from a prostate cancer</a> procedure in December.
&#8220;Following consultation with medical staff, Secretary Austin was released from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center today at approximately 3:30 pm,&#8221; the Department of Defense (DoD) said in the <a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3676131/secretary-of-defense-lloyd-j-austin-iii-released-from-hospital/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. &#8220;He is recovering well and resumed his full functions and duties today at 5 pm. The Deputy Secretary of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the White House, and Congress have been notified.&#8221;
The statement added, &#8220;On the advice of his doctors, Secretary Austin will recuperate and perform his duties remotely from home for a period before returning to work at the Pentagon later this week. He has full access to the unclassified and classified communications systems necessary to perform his duties.&#8221;
Austin&#8217;s doctors also gave an update on the secretary&#8217;s latest health situation, including a timeline of events that began over the weekend and details about his treatment.
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&#8220;Secretary Austin was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Feb. 11 with discomfort and concern from a bladder issue related to his December 2023 prostate cancer surgery. His condition indicated a need for close monitoring by the critical care team and supportive care. His diagnostic evaluation identified the cause of his bladder issue and it was corrected with non-surgical procedures on Feb. 12,&#8221; the physicians said.
&#8220;He remained in good condition throughout and no longer needed critical care monitoring on the morning of Feb. 13. He progressed well and was discharged to his home today. He is anticipated to continue his full recovery,&#8221; they added. &#8220;The bladder issue was not related to his cancer diagnosis and will have no effect on his excellent cancer prognosis.&#8221;
Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1757130467122217366" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told reporters</a> on Monday that Austin no longer plans to travel to Brussels this week for meetings related to Ukraine and NATO, but other military officials will participate in the talks.
The DoD <a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Advisories/Advisory/Article/3676146/secretary-of-defense-opening-remarks-for-19th-ukraine-defense-contact-group-mee/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confirmed</a> on Tuesday that Austin will still host and deliver opening remarks on Wednesday to a virtual meeting of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sec-def-makes-first-public-appearance-since-covert-hospitalization-omits-mention-of-his-health-situation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ukraine Defense Contact Group</a>.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin

Def Sec Austin Released From Hospital After Treatment For Bladder Issue

Def Sec Austin Released From Hospital After Bladder Issue

Biden Administration

U.S.

Defense Secretary <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/lloyd-austin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lloyd Austin</a> appears to be doing well after receiving treatment for a bladder issue that led to him being <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/defense-secretary-austin-transferred-into-critical-care-transfers-duties-to-deputy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">transferred into critical care</a> at a hospital in Maryland on Sunday, the Biden administration official&#8217;s doctors said on Monday.
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center officials provided a status update for Austin, who the Pentagon said has temporarily transferred his functions and duties to Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks as Austin recovers from yet another health complication after being treated for prostate cancer.
Austin &#8220;underwent non-surgical procedures under general anesthesia to address his bladder issue. We anticipate a successful recovery and will closely monitor him overnight,&#8221; the doctors said in a <a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3674000/statement-from-walter-reed-military-medical-center-officials-on-secretary-of-de/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. &#8220;A prolonged hospital stay is not anticipated. We anticipate the Secretary will be able to resume his normal duties tomorrow. The current bladder issue is not expected to change his anticipated full recovery. His cancer prognosis remains excellent.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/PentagonPresSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PentagonPresSec</a> delivers a statement on <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecDef</a> Austin&#39;s hospitalization, transfer of functions and duties to <a href="https://twitter.com/DepSecDef?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DepSecDef</a> Kathleen Hicks and that Secretary Austin will no longer travel to Brussels this week as originally scheduled. <a href="https://t.co/BiZsh5RTMO">pic.twitter.com/BiZsh5RTMO</a>
&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1757130467122217366?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1757130467122217366" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told reporters</a> Austin no longer plans to travel to Brussels this week for meetings related to Ukraine and NATO, but other military officials will participate in the talks. Austin intends to appear virtually for a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sec-def-makes-first-public-appearance-since-covert-hospitalization-omits-mention-of-his-health-situation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ukraine Defense Contact Group discussion</a> on Wednesday, Ryder added.
Austin, 70, faced blowback after the revelation that the secretary had been hospitalized on January 1 for complications <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/walter-reed-medical-center-reveals-why-lloyd-austin-was-hospitalized" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stemming from a prostate cancer</a> procedure and delegated some of his duties to a deputy without informing top brass in the Biden administration and Congress.
Some critics, including GOP lawmakers and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-calls-on-biden-to-fire-defense-chief-for-dereliction-of-duty" target="_blank" rel="noopener">former President Donald Trump</a>, called for Austin&#8217;s ouster as more details emerged, including that Austin kept his cancer diagnosis under wraps until the story broke. Multiple <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pentagon-inspector-general-announces-review-of-austin-going-mia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">inquiries</a> ensued, and the White House <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/26/white-house-cabinet-austin-00138188" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released</a> <a href="https://apnews.com/article/president-joe-biden-white-house-lloyd-austin-cabinet-f3e03c04ff7d9a0ab062a57ac181bb8f#:~:text=From%20now%20on%2C%20Cabinet%20agencies,once%20that%20delegation%20has%20ended." target="_blank" rel="noopener">new guidelines</a> for Cabinet secretaries to enhance transparency rules when authority is delegated to a subordinate. Testimony before a House panel has been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/def-sec-austin-agrees-to-testify-before-congress-about-secretive-hospitalization" target="_blank" rel="noopener">scheduled</a> for February 29.
The Department of Defense <a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3658716/secretary-of-defense-lloyd-j-austin-iii-returns-to-work-at-the-pentagon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Austin resumed his duties from home after being released from the hospital on January 15, and the secretary <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/def-sec-austin-returns-to-pentagon-addresses-health-situation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">returned</a> to work at the Pentagon on January 29. Austin has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/austin-denies-requesting-subtle-ride-to-hospital-blames-aide-should-come-out-in-the-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expressed remorse</a> for how his cancer diagnosis and hospitalization were handled. When Austin returned to the hospital over the weekend, the Pentagon announced his transport within hours of it happening and has provided multiple updates since that time.
John Kirby, a spokesman for the National Security Council, <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1757107099195064354" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told reporters</a> on Monday that he was &#8220;not aware&#8221; of whether President Joe Biden had spoken to Austin following his hospitalization over the weekend but insisted the commander in chief did not have concerns about the secretary&#8217;s ability to serve.

Def Sec Lloyd Austin

Doctors Say Def Sec Austin Underwent Non-Surgical Procedures For Bladder Issue

Defense Secretary <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/lloyd-austin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lloyd Austin</a> has been sent back to the hospital, the Pentagon announced on Sunday, the latest wrinkle in a health controversy that began last month over the Cabinet official&#8217;s secretive hospitalization for complications <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/walter-reed-medical-center-reveals-why-lloyd-austin-was-hospitalized" target="_blank" rel="noopener">following a procedure to treat prostate cancer</a>.
&#8220;Today, at approximately 2:20 p.m., Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III was transported by his security detail to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to be seen for symptoms suggesting an emergent bladder issue,&#8221; Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a <a href="https://twitter.com/laraseligman/status/1756792174220366235" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> within a few hours of the transport. &#8220;The Deputy Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff have been notified. Additionally, White House and Congressional notifications have occurred.&#8221;
&#8220;At this time, the Secretary is retaining the functions and duties of his office,&#8221; Ryder said. &#8220;The Deputy Secretary is prepared to assume the functions and duties of the Secretary of Defense, if required. Secretary Austin traveled to the hospital with the unclassified and classified communications systems necessary to perform his duties.&#8221;
Ryder concluded by saying the Pentagon will provide an update on Austin&#8217;s condition as &#8220;soon as possible.&#8221; He did just that a few hours later, <a href="https://twitter.com/PentagonPresSec/status/1756840367700214211" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying</a>, &#8220;Secretary Austin is still at the hospital and receiving treatment. At approximately 4:55 pm today, he transferred the functions and duties of the office of the Secretary of Defense to Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks.&#8221; Ryder also reported another round of notifications to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the White House, and Congress.
Austin, 70, faced blowback after the revelation that the secretary had been hospitalized on January 1 for complications <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/walter-reed-medical-center-reveals-why-lloyd-austin-was-hospitalized" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stemming from a prostate cancer</a> procedure and delegated some of his duties to a deputy without informing top brass in the Biden administration and Congress.
Some critics, including GOP lawmakers and <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=trump+austin+daily+wire&amp;sca_esv=248f942d9b8c3839&amp;ei=rd23ZaniIeWxqtsP1MqKmAk&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjp7KWSjYOEAxXlmGoFHVSlApMQ4dUDCBA&amp;uact=5&amp;oq=trump+austin+daily+wire&amp;gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiF3RydW1wIGF1c3RpbiBkYWlseSB3aXJlSPYQUI4BWPEPcAN4AJABAJgBfqABsgmqAQQwLjExuAEDyAEA-AEB4gMEGAEgQYgGAQ&amp;sclient=gws-wiz-serp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">former President Donald Trump</a>, called for Austin&#8217;s ouster as more details emerged, including that Austin kept his cancer diagnosis under wraps until the story broke. Multiple <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pentagon-inspector-general-announces-review-of-austin-going-mia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">inquiries</a> ensued, and the White House <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/26/white-house-cabinet-austin-00138188" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released</a> <a href="https://apnews.com/article/president-joe-biden-white-house-lloyd-austin-cabinet-f3e03c04ff7d9a0ab062a57ac181bb8f#:~:text=From%20now%20on%2C%20Cabinet%20agencies,once%20that%20delegation%20has%20ended." target="_blank" rel="noopener">new guidelines</a> for Cabinet secretaries to enhance transparency rules when authority is delegated to a subordinate.
The Department of Defense <a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3658716/secretary-of-defense-lloyd-j-austin-iii-returns-to-work-at-the-pentagon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Austin resumed his duties from home after being released from the hospital on January 15, and the secretary <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/def-sec-austin-returns-to-pentagon-addresses-health-situation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">returned</a> to work at the Pentagon on January 29. Austin has been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/def-sec-austin-agrees-to-testify-before-congress-about-secretive-hospitalization" target="_blank" rel="noopener">scheduled</a> to testify before a House committee about &#8220;his failure to disclose his hospitalization&#8221; on February 29.
During a press conference earlier this month, Austin <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/austin-denies-requesting-subtle-ride-to-hospital-blames-aide-should-come-out-in-the-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expressed remorse</a> for how his cancer diagnosis and hospitalization were handled.
“We did not handle this right, and I did not handle this right,&#8221; Austin said. &#8220;I should’ve told the president about my cancer diagnosis. I should have also told my team and the American public. And I take full responsibility. I apologize to my teammates and to the American people.&#8221;

Def Sec Austin Sent Back To Hospital For Possible Bladder Issue

Defense Secretary <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/lloyd-austin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lloyd Austin</a> has agreed to testify before <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/congress" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Congress</a> about his secretive hospitalization for complications <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/walter-reed-medical-center-reveals-why-lloyd-austin-was-hospitalized" target="_blank" rel="noopener">following a procedure to treat prostate cancer</a>, according to a House panel.
A spokesperson for the House Armed Services Committee <a href="https://twitter.com/ChadPergram/status/1755004677186318829" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Olivia_Beavers/status/1754999823013486875" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the media</a> on Tuesday that the Department of Defense (DoD) &#8220;confirmed&#8221; Austin would appear before the panel on February 29 to discuss &#8220;his failure to disclose his hospitalization.&#8221;
Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL) <a href="https://armedservices.house.gov/sites/republicans.armedservices.house.gov/files/01.18.23%20Austin%20Invite%20Scan.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sent</a> a letter to Austin last month, calling on the secretary to testify because of his &#8220;unwillingness to provide candid and complete answers&#8221; sought by the committee. Although he initially picked February 14 for a hearing, Rogers <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/06/austin-testify-hospitalization-00139981" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> POLITICO that Austin had a &#8220;date conflict.&#8221;
Austin, 70, faced controversy after the revelation that the secretary had been hospitalized on January 1 and delegated some of his duties to a deputy without informing officials at the White House and Congress.
Some critics, including GOP lawmakers and <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=trump+austin+daily+wire&amp;sca_esv=248f942d9b8c3839&amp;ei=rd23ZaniIeWxqtsP1MqKmAk&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjp7KWSjYOEAxXlmGoFHVSlApMQ4dUDCBA&amp;uact=5&amp;oq=trump+austin+daily+wire&amp;gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiF3RydW1wIGF1c3RpbiBkYWlseSB3aXJlSPYQUI4BWPEPcAN4AJABAJgBfqABsgmqAQQwLjExuAEDyAEA-AEB4gMEGAEgQYgGAQ&amp;sclient=gws-wiz-serp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">former President Donald Trump</a>, called for Austin&#8217;s ouster as more details emerged, including that Austin kept his cancer diagnosis under wraps until the story broke.
Multiple <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pentagon-inspector-general-announces-review-of-austin-going-mia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">inquiries</a> ensued, and the White House <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/26/white-house-cabinet-austin-00138188" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released</a> <a href="https://apnews.com/article/president-joe-biden-white-house-lloyd-austin-cabinet-f3e03c04ff7d9a0ab062a57ac181bb8f#:~:text=From%20now%20on%2C%20Cabinet%20agencies,once%20that%20delegation%20has%20ended." target="_blank" rel="noopener">new guidelines</a> for Cabinet secretaries to enhance transparency rules when authority is delegated to a subordinate.
The DoD <a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3658716/secretary-of-defense-lloyd-j-austin-iii-returns-to-work-at-the-pentagon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Austin had resumed his duties from home after being released from the hospital on January 15, and the secretary <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/def-sec-austin-returns-to-pentagon-addresses-health-situation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">returned</a> to work at the Pentagon on January 29.
During a press conference last week, Austin <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/austin-denies-requesting-subtle-ride-to-hospital-blames-aide-should-come-out-in-the-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expressed remorse</a> for how his cancer diagnosis and hospitalization were handled.
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1700760801843000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2PQrVSrJfhxNb4LcARqniG">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
“We did not handle this right, and I did not handle this right,&#8221; Austin said. &#8220;I should’ve told the president about my cancer diagnosis. I should have also told my team and the American public. And I take full responsibility. I apologize to my teammates and to the American people.&#8221;
Austin also <a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3663627/secretary-of-defense-lloyd-j-austin-iii-press-conference/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">acknowledged</a> that Congress &#8220;had some very relevant questions that they&#8217;ve asked us, and we will continue to answer those questions&#8221; as well as tackle any &#8220;issues&#8221; raised by Rogers.
A Pentagon spokesperson previously <a href="https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/01/19/defense-secretary-austin-summoned-capitol-hill-testimony-about-secret-hospitalization.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told the press</a> the DoD &#8220;provided the committee three letters in a good-faith effort to respond to the committee as expeditiously as possible, recognizing that there is an internal 30-day review underway, and the DoD inspector general is conducting his own review.&#8221;

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin

Def Sec Austin Agrees To Testify Before Congress About Secretive Hospitalization

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