‘You Embarrassed Us!’ Sparks Immediately Fly at Lloyd Austin Hospitalization Hearing

It didn’t take long for the air to get tense at a Thursday House hearing centered on the hospitalization of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

Austin’s hospitalization earlier this year sparked major backlash against the defense official as the medical procedure he underwent as part of cancer treatment was unknown to President Joe Biden and others for days. At Thursday’s hearing, Austin admitted to a “breakdown in notifications,” said he takes “full responsibility,” and promised reforms in his department that would ensure mandatory notifications between offices about such changes.

“We did not handle this right and I did not handle this right,” Austin admitted.

Austin was hospitalized on Jan. 1 and later entered intensive care. He testified on Thursday that it was Jan. 4 when his situation was fully communicated.

Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN) was the first to question Austin and he cut right to the point quickly after Austin confirmed again that he was hospitalized for days before the president and others were informed.

“Are you surprised the president didn’t call for your resignation? I’m surprised, but are you surprised he didn’t call for your resignation?” Banks asked after calling the communication breakdown an “embarrassment.”

“The president has expressed full faith and confidence in me,” Austin said.

The defense secretary then defended going days without speaking to the president, saying days without direct communication can typical.

“So the big issue for me here is either the president is that aloof or you are irrelevant,” Banks said about Austin and Biden not speaking for three days. “Which one is it, Mr. Secretary?”

“Neither,” Austin said with a smile.

He added, “The president is not aloof and I am — I participate in all the critical decision making.”

Banks continued pressing on the lack of direct communication and ended his time at the mic by telling Austin that he’s “embarrassed” the entire country.

“My. Secretary, our adversaries should fear us and what you’ve done is embarrassed us,” he said, then reading off Chinese and Russian propaganda that capitalized on Austin’s hospitalization controversy before the congressman was told his time expired.

Watch above via MSNBC.