The revelation that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had prostate cancer surgery and was later hospitalized in intensive care due to complications from that operation without President Joe Biden, Cabinet members or even his deputy knowing has put an intense spotlight on what staff knew when and why they did not inform government or military leaders or the public.
On the night of Austin's ambulance ride to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, his personal security detail was with him, and there are now questions about why that did not trigger an immediate call to an operations center to inform his key staff.
