Defense Secretary Austin's deputy was unaware of his hospitalization when he passed authority to her

WASHINGTON – Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin passed authority to his deputy last week without telling her that he'd been hospitalized with a serious medical condition, according to senior administration officials.

On Jan. 2, the day after Austin was admitted to the hospital, he transferred authorities that required “constant secure communications capabilities” to Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks, Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, said in a statement on Sunday.

Hicks, who was on vacation in Puerto Rico, “keeps a complete suite of communications and capable staff with her at all times, regardless of geographic location,” Ryder said, and she took up Austin's duties from the U.S. territory.

Hicks, however, was not aware that Austin had been hospitalized until Jan. 4, according a senior defense official who was not authorized to speak publicly. In fact, he had been in the intensive care unit after complications set in after an elective procedure.

She began drafting a statement to inform the public and Congress, and made plans to return to Washington, the official said. However, she remained in Puerto Rico when told that Austin had been planning to fully resume his duties on Friday.

Hicks made routine decisions for the department and was authorized to support President Joe Biden in accordance with the law, the official said.

Also on Jan. 4, the Pentagon launched a drone strike in Iraq that killed the leader of an Iranian-backed militia who had plotted attacks on U.S. troops in the region. The strike had been pre-approved with the president and Austin was aware and tracking it from his hospital room, a second official said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lloyd Austin passed authority without saying he was in the hospital