Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin left many on his staff, all 11 combatant commands and even the White House in the dark about his cancer diagnosis. However, he appears to have made a special request with paramedics en route to his home.
The Daily Beast's national security correspondent reported Tuesday that an of aide of Austin, President Biden's most important cabinet official, called 911 to request an ambulance at Austin's residence. They asked dispatchers to be discreet, as per the recording of the call obtained by the Beast.
“Can I ask – can the ambulance not show up with lights and sirens? Uhm, we're trying to remain a little subtle,” the aide stated in the recording obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request in a Virginia court:
The dispatcher responded that the ambulance could do that, noting that “usually when they turn into a residential neighborhood, they'll turn them off.” She added that the ambulance is required by law to run the sirens and lights on main streets, such as Georgetown Pike and Leesburg Pike.
The audio of the call, which has not previously been reported, reveals new details about the Secretary of Defense's emergency, and suggests that the effort to keep his ailment secret was well-known among his close aides.
Although the Secretary of Defense kept the incident a secret from the public and from U.S. President Joe Biden and other senior administration officials, it was revealed last week that he had received surgery in December to treat and cure prostate cancer. He eventually went to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center after experiencing medical complications on Jan. 1.
It is not clear who asked the aide to request the ambulance dispatchers attempt to fly under the radar, or if the aide acted of his own accord. The Pentagon did not immediately return a request for comment.
The Fairfax County Department of Public Safety Communications redacted the caller's identity and other personal and health information.
Austin's name was redacted as well, but it's clear he was the subject of the conversation based on the time and location of the call.
Austin was discharged from the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Monday, following the secretive two-week stay to treat prostate cancer and a urinary tract infection.
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