Pentagon chief of staff stepping down at end of June
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Kelly Magsamen is one of those involved in the January hospitalization controversy involving Austin and members of his staff.
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Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin speaks during a Pentagon press briefing at the Pentagon on February 1, 2024. (AP)
Kelly Magsamen, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's chief of staff will step down at the end of June.
Magsamen was one of the few persons who knew Austin was hospitalized on New Year's Day but failed to alert the White House or top Pentagon officials.
Austin acknowledged her resignation in a statement but did not explain why. The Pentagon leader lauded Magsamen's "tremendous service over three and a half pivotal years" as chief of staff, detailing how she has "been at my side" since he began his tenure and was the "chief architect of every initiative I have launched to defend our nation, take care of our people, and succeed through teamwork."
Austin stated that she was involved in attempts to enhance the quality of life for military personnel while also addressing the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
Previously, Austin, who has prostate cancer, was hospitalized on January 1 and had not notified the White House staff or President Joe Biden of the matter until days later.
On February 12, Pentagon Spokesperson Pat Ryder announced that Austin had transferred his duties to his deputy hours after he was taken to hospital for "an emergent bladder issue."
The Pentagon reported that Magsamen was ill at the time of Austin's hospitalization, and staffing was low, resulting in a delay in communication.
The Pentagon undertook an internal inquiry, which revealed that officials had no ill intent in delaying notification and faced limits in disclosing information owing to medical privacy rules.
In January, Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), leader of the House Armed Services Committee, wrote to Magsamen, calling the lack of openness in alerting the White House and other authorities and requesting details "inexcusable".
The announcement came weeks after it emerged that Austin, 70, had kept previous hospital stays secret and had not immediately informed US President Joe Biden of his cancer diagnosis, sparking criticism as the United States faces crises in the Middle East and Ukraine.
Austin effectively vanished from the public eye for treatment for prostate cancer in December and again in January after suffering complications from the procedure.
Austin issued a public apology following the hospital incident, which prompted a congressional hearing.
