Joe Biden’s disappearing defence secretary
Lloyd Austin’s medical absence prompts confusion and concern
IT IS A busy time in the Pentagon. A vital aid package for Ukraine hangs in the political balance. The war in Gaza threatens to spread to Lebanon. America’s navy has been blowing up hostile boats in the Red Sea. It was thus a particularly awkward time for the country’s defence secretary to vanish for several days, unbeknown to Joe Biden, America’s president, or much of the Pentagon itself.
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This article appeared in the United States section of the print edition under the headline “Hospital pass”
United States January 13th 2024
- Donald Trump’s Iowa operation suggests his campaign will be formidable
- The US Supreme Court is primed to recalibrate government power
- Joe Biden’s disappearing defence secretary
- A lawsuit in New York may shake things up at the NRA
- Broadway is struggling to find its rhythm after the pandemic
- Ron DeSantis has some lessons for America’s politicians
From the January 13th 2024 edition
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