An audio recording obtained by The Daily Beast suggests that at least one close aid to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin conspired with Austin to hide his condition from the White House and the public at large. In the recording, taken of the January 1 911 call Austin’s aid made on his boss’s behalf, the aid can be heard urging responding authorities to be “subtle” in their response and not to attract attention.
“Can I ask—can the ambulance not show up with lights and sirens? Uhm, we’re trying to remain a little subtle,” the aide said. “Usually when they turn into a residential neighborhood, they’ll turn them off,” a dispatcher assured the aid.
Austin, who was released from the hospital on Monday, has come under fire for hiding his hospitalization following cancer surgery from the proper authorities, including the White House, for days. The Defense Secretary’s behavior has resulted in some, including former President Trump, calling for him to be fired.
