Why did the US Defense Secretary hide his illness from Biden?

The American "Politico" site reported that US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin entered intensive care in a hospital in Washington on Monday - and returned to his duties on Saturday. In an exceptional and unusual manner, he concealed this from President Joe Biden and other officials in the security apparatus.

According to the report published by the newspaper “Politico”, in which Austin was informed of his admission to the hospital at the end of the week, President Biden and US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan learned of his illness on Thursday, while officials in the Department of Defense were informed on Friday.

The Pentagon's failure to disclose Austin's hospitalization runs counter to standard practice with the president and other senior US officials and Cabinet members. The Pentagon Press Association, which represents members of the media who cover the Department of Defense, sent a letter of protest to Rader and Chris Meagher, assistant secretary of defense for public affairs.

“I understand the media’s concerns about transparency, and I realize that I could have done a better job to ensure that the public received the appropriate information,” Austin said.

Adding, “I pledge to do this in a better way, and I take full responsibility for my decisions regarding publishing and disclosing matters.”

Austin, 70, spent 41 years in the Army, retiring as a four-star Army general in 2016.

Austin's hospitalization comes as Iranian-backed militias have repeatedly fired drones, missiles and projectiles at bases where US forces are stationed in Iraq and Syria, prompting the Biden administration to respond with a number of attacks. Those strikes often involve sensitive high-level discussions and decisions by Austin and other key military leaders.