Democrats’ strategy on Austin’s health: Pivot to Ukraine

Republicans used Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s appearance on Capitol Hill on Thursday to slam the Pentagon chief over his unannounced hospitalizations that they say put national security in jeopardy.

The Democrats’ counterpoint? Ukraine.

In an at times fiery hearing on Thursday that was supposed to focus on Austin’s secrecy over his health, Democrats used most of their time to thrash House Speaker Mike Johnson and conservative Republicans for holding up a foreign aid package with money for Kyiv to defend against Russia.

The focus on Ukraine — coupled with the committee’s self-imposed time limit of two hours, which prevented individual lawmakers from engaging in the typical lengthy monologues — allowed Democrats to blunt Republican arguments that Austin’s failure to inform the commander in chief of his absence hurt national security.

Their comments also served as a preview of Democrats’ strategy the next time the issue comes up, most likely when Congress holds hearings on the administration’s budget request in the coming weeks and when the Defense Department Inspector General releases its review of Austin and his staff’s handling of his medical problems.

The accusations from Republicans come at a sensitive time for President Joe Biden, who is running for reelection as he and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas face impeachment, and as his brother and son testify as part of congressional investigations into their conduct.

On Thursday, Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) called out "the outrage and the drama" from Republicans over the breakdown in communications — while those same lawmakers still refuse to approve funding for Ukraine.

"Look, you made a mistake. You admitted it. You're taking steps to address it. And you want to know what accountability is,” Slotkin said to Austin. “Accountability is having to come and sit in front of people and their outrage and their drama in public about your health issues and the mistakes you've admitted you made, when the entire world is wondering what the hell is going on with the United States of America.”

House Republicans have stymied efforts to provide more money to assist Ukraine since retaking the majority more than a year ago as opposition has built on the right. The Senate cleared a $95 billion emergency funding package this month to assist Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. But Johnson has so far not granted a vote on the measure, despite bipartisan pressure to act as Ukrainian forces run low on ammunition.

The news — first reported by POLITICO — that Austin had failed to notify the White House, Congress and his closest staff that he was in the hospital and unable to perform his duties sent shock waves through Washington in January. In December, Austin secretly underwent a procedure to treat prostate cancer; in January, he returned to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in an ambulance due to complications from that procedure. Biden did not learn that Austin was in the hospital until Jan. 4, three days after he was admitted.

The panel's top Democrat, Rep. Adam Smith of Washington, said the controversy of Austin’s health is dwarfed by the eroding battlefield situation in Ukraine.

“Whatever Russia and Chinese propaganda machines may be cranking out about this situation, I assure you it pales in comparison to what they’re cranking out about the fact that they think the United States is getting ready to abandon our ally in Ukraine,” Smith said.

After stressing that the transfer of authorities from Austin to his deputy, Kathleen Hicks, was “seamless” during each of his hospitalizations, Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.) also pivoted from the Defense secretary’s health to the Ukraine war. He hit Johnson for not putting the supplemental package up for a vote.

“We're seeing the risk play out on the battlefield each and every day as the Ukrainians fight valiantly to defend their sovereign territory,” Courtney said. “Without our support, the Ukrainians will be outgunned in terms of artillery.”

Rep. John Garamendi (D-Calif.), meanwhile, wished Austin well on his cancer treatment and applauded his “extraordinary service record.”

“Mr. Secretary, it is not you that is the problem. It's not what happened in your health emergency that's the problem,” Garamendi said. “When will this committee actually stand up for the defense of this nation? When my colleagues on the Republican side of this committee find the courage to get the job done?”

The strategy also gave Austin an opportunity to make his own pitch for additional Ukraine aid — one he seized readily.

“We don't want to live in a world where one country can redraw his neighbor's boundaries and illegitimately take over its sovereign territory,” Austin said. “If [Vladimir] Putin is successful here, he will not stop. He will continue to take more aggressive action in the region, and other autocrats around the world will look at this and they will be encouraged by the fact that this happened and we failed to support a democracy.”

Several Republicans dinged Democrats for changing the subject, arguing that they too support arming Ukraine.

"I would make the point that the chairman decided to call this hearing,” Armed Services Chair Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) said in response to Slotkin. "And there is no stronger proponent of Ukraine funding than the chairman.”

Another senior Republican, Rep. Austin Scott of Georgia, nodded to Democrats’ concerns about Ukraine assistance, but added that many GOP lawmakers want tougher sanctions against Putin and Russia in addition to military aid.

"Let me assure you, we want the Ukrainians to win and we want Putin to lose,” Scott said. “But one of the key things that many of us have asked for that have voted for the Ukrainians repeatedly is the enforcement of the sanctions against Russia.”

“Simply sending the Ukrainians weapons or money is not going to win the war against Russia and Putin,” he said.

Democrats’ push to highlight the slow walking of Ukraine aid didn’t stop Republicans from going after Austin — and Biden. Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) zeroed in on the fact that the president and the White House weren’t immediately aware of Austin’s health status.

"Either the president is that aloof or you are irrelevant," Banks said.

And Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.) slammed Austin for holding himself to a "different standard" than the rest of the American people.

"My teenage daughter knows to tell her supervisor if she's not going to work. The American people — truck drivers, bartenders — know they have to tell their boss or they get fired. But you've held yourself to a different standard. And that's unacceptable," Waltz said.