Western Pennsylvania Congressman Chris Deluzio is calling for the resignation of President Joe Biden's top military advisor, after U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin failed to disclose a recent hospitalization.
In a Wednesday-afternoon statement, Deluzio said he had "lost trust" in Austin's leadership "due to the lack of transparency about his recent medical treatment and its impact on the continuity of the chain of command.
"I have a solemn duty in Congress to conduct oversight of the Defense Department through my service on the House Armed Services Committee," added Deluzio, a Navy veteran who served in Iraq.
Austin is being treated for prostate cancer.
Deluzio appears to be the first Democrat to publicly make such a call, though there has been criticism from Democrats amid reports that Austin was hospitalized for several days without notifying the White House or others about his condition. Some Republicans are calling for Austin's impeachment or removal.
Deluzio is in his first term representing a swing district that includes Beaver County and a broad swath of Allegheny County: He faces a likely Republican foe in state House member Rob Mercuri in his bid for re-election this year. Deluzio has generally aligned himself with the White House and party leadership, particularly on labor and economic issues. But on Wednesday he said "duty today requires me to call on Secretary Austin to resign."
He added: “I thank Secretary Austin for his leadership ... and wish him a speedy recovery.”
