Already a subscriber? Make sure to log into your account before viewing this content. You can access your account by hitting the “login” button on the top right corner. Still unable to see the content after signing in? Make sure your card on file is up-to-date.
The White House has introduced new guidelines to ensure prompt notification in cases where a Cabinet member is unable to perform their duties. This decision follows the recent incident where Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s hospitalization was not immediately communicated to President Joe Biden and his senior staff.
Under the new protocols, Cabinet departments are required to inform the White House Office of Cabinet Affairs and the office of White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients in two scenarios: the anticipation of a temporary transfer of authority and the actual occurrence of such a transfer.
The process involves written confirmation of both the delegation and its conclusion. Interim leaders assuming authority must also establish direct contact with their primary White House counterparts and fulfill other legally mandated notifications. The guidelines stipulate that a transfer of authority should occur under circumstances including, but not limited to, hospitalization, medical procedures involving general anesthesia, or when a Cabinet official is traveling to locations with limited communication access.
The necessity of these new guidelines became evident following Secretary Austin’s prostatectomy at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on December 22, during which he was under general anesthesia. Despite transferring some responsibilities to Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks, neither the White House nor Hicks were informed of the specific reasons for this delegation.
Further, Austin’s subsequent admission to intensive care and the delegation of authority to Hicks, who was on vacation, were not immediately reported to the White House. The Pentagon eventually notified National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on January 4, who then informed President Biden.
