>>> PRESIDENT BIDEN IS BACKING HIS DEFENSE SECRETARY, DESPITE CALLS FOR HIM TO RESIGN OVER A SECRETIVE HOSPITAL STAY. SECRETARY AUSTIN WAS IN THE HOSPITAL FOR DAYS WITHOUT TELLING THE PRESIDENT OR EVEN THE DEPUTY THAT TOOK OVER HIS DUTIES. WEIJIA JIANG HAS THE LATEST ON THIS. GOOD MORNING. >> Reporter: GOOD MORNING, ANNE- MARIE. GOOD MORNING TO EVERYBODY. THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS THERE IS AN ACT TAX -- EXPECTATION TO BE NOTIFIED UP THE CHAIN OF COMMAND. SECRETARY AUSTIN FAILED TO MEET THAT EXPECTATION. PRESIDENT BIDEN SAID HE HAD FULL CONFIDENCE IN AUSTIN. >> Reporter: 70-YEAR-OLD SECRETARY AUSTIN WAS RUSHED TO THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT IN AN AMBULANCE ON NEW YEAR'S EVE, SUFFERING A COMPLICATION FROM AN ELECTIVE MEDICAL OPERATION HE HAD ON DECEMBER 22nd. AUSTIN'S CHIEF OF STAFF AND HIS SPOKESMAN NEW ABOUT THE HOSPITALIZATION BUT NO ONE TOLD AUSTIN'S DEPUTY, WHO HAD ASSUMED HIS DUTIES. THE WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF OR NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER WERE NOT ADVISED UNTIL TWO DAYS LATER WHEN PRESIDENT BIDEN WAS FINALLY IN FORT. >> HOWEVER DESIROUS HE MIGHT BE ABOUT PRESERVING HIS OWN PRIVACY, WE CANNOT HAVE HIM MAKING THOSE KINDS OF DECISIONS AT THE RISK OF THE UNITED STATES BEING CAUGHT SHORT IN SOME KIND OF INTERNATIONAL OR NATIONAL SECURITY CRISIS. >> Reporter: THE DEFENSE SECRETARY'S AUTHORITY OVER THE ARMED FORCES IS ONLY SECOND TO THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF'S. HIS ROLE IN THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL IS CRITICAL. ESPECIALLY AS TENSIONS RISE DURING TWO WARS IN ISRAEL IN UKRAINE. THE WHITE HOUSE IN THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT HAVE LAUNCHED FORMAL REVIEWS AND THE WHITE HOUSE IS LOOKING INTO A TIMELINE OF THE EVENTS, AN EXAMINATION OF THE CURRENT PROCESS TO DETERMINE IF THE SECRETARY CAN PERFORM HIS FUNCTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE NOTIFICATIONS. >> WITH THE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER NOT BEING FULLY NOTIFY FOR SEVERAL DAYS, IT IS A CONCERN TO ME. >> Reporter: THE PENTAGON ALSO SAID IT WOULD EXPAND THE CIRCLE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NOTIFIED ABOUT TRANSFERS OF POWER IN THE FUTURE. AS FOR SECRETARY AUSTIN, HE IS OUT OF THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT AT WALTER REED BUT IS STILL THERE, RECOVERING. WE ARE TOLD HE IS DOING WELL AND IS IN GOOD SPIRITS. THE PENTAGON DOES NOT HAVE AN EXACT DATE FOR WHEN HE WILL BE RELEASED, ANNE-MARIE. >> WE ARE HAPPY TO HEAR HE IS ON THE MEND AND WE ARE GETTING CLARITY AS TO WHAT HAPPENED. AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE SECRETARY HAS TAKEN FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR, YOU KNOW, I GUESS NOT HAVING PROPER COMMUNICATION. BEING SAID, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IS ACTUALLY WRONG WITH THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE. I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE PERHAPS PRIVACY CONCERNS, BUT WE ARE, THIS COUNTRY IS INVOLVED IN MAJOR CLASHES AROUND THE WORLD. HAS ANYONE SORT OF TALKED ABOUT THE ISSUE OF TRANSPARENCY? >> Reporter: WE HAVE PRESS FOR MORE DETAILS, ANNE-MARIE, ABOUT EXACTLY WHAT THE SECRETARY WAS RECOVERING FROM. EVEN THOUGH WE ARE TOLD REPEATEDLY HE IS DOING WELL, YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, NOT ONLY DO WE NOT KNOW ANY DETAILS ABOUT THIS MEDICAL SITUATION, INCLUDING WHY HE INITIALLY WENT TO THE HOSPITAL FOR A PROCEDURE AND WHAT COMPLICATIONS AROSE OUT OF IT, WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IF PRESIDENT BIDEN KNOWS THOSE DETAILS. YOU ARE RIGHT THAT, YOU KNOW, THE ARGUMENT IS PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO THEIR PRIVACY, BUT WE INTERVIEWED A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND YOU HEARD IN OUR PEACE, ACTUALLY A DEMOCRAT WHO SAID THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE PENTAGON SAY THIS BUT HE IS DEMANDING A FULL HEARING AND HE WANTS AUSTIN TO EXPLAIN HIMSELF TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC AND BECAUSE HE WANTS TO KNOW THOSE DETAILS, AS WELL, TO SEE JUST HOW THIS IS IMPACTING HIS ABILITY TO DO THE JOB. I CAN TELL YOU THE PENTAGON INSISTS, AUSTIN, WHILE HE IS AT THE HOSPITAL, HE IS STILL ENGAGED IN PHONE CALLS, HE IS STILL TALKING TO HIS TOP DEPUTIES AND DOING THE JOB, AS YOU MENTIONED. HE HAS RESUMED FULL RESPONSIBILITIES. IT APPEARS
