Trump calls for Lloyd Austin to be fired for going ‘missing for a week’

On March 17th, 2021, former President Donald Trump called for the resignation of Lloyd Austin, the Secretary of Defense, after he went "missing" for a week. The fallout from this incident grew after it was revealed that neither the White House nor Mr. Austin's deputy secretary of defense were informed about his hospitalization for several days.

According to reports, Mr. Austin had been admitted to Walter Reed Medical Center on March 10th, 2021, after experiencing symptoms of a mild case of COVID-19. However, it was not until March 16th that the White House was informed of his hospitalization. This delay in notification led to confusion and frustration within the administration, as well as concerns about Mr. Austin's health and ability to perform his duties as Secretary of Defense.

It is worth noting that Mr. Austin had been appointed as Secretary of Defense by President Biden, who had taken office on January 20th, 2021. This meant that Mr. Austin was not a Trump appointee, but rather someone chosen by the new administration to lead the Department of Defense.

Despite the controversy surrounding his hospitalization and the delay in notification, Mr. Austin has since returned to work and is continuing to serve as Secretary of Defense under President Biden. It remains to be seen how this incident will impact his relationship with the current administration, or with former President Trump.