House Republican targets Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin for impeachment

GOP Rep. Matt Rosendale of Montana has announced plans to target Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin for impeachment.

In a statement, the lawmaker pointed to the Biden administration's badly botched Afghanistan withdrawal and the infamous Chinese spy balloon that flew over the U.S. last year.

"Sec. Austin has violated his oath of office time and time again, and has jeopardized the lives of the American people," Rosendale said in the statement. "Sec. Austin is unfit for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, which is why I urge my colleagues to join me in impeaching him to protect the American people."

The congressman also claimed the cabinet member "lied to our military and the American people about his health last week."

Rosenadale's impeachment push comes amid uproar over the lack of transparency regarding Austin's hospitalization. Former President Donald Trump has called for the defense secretary to be fired and some Republicans have said Austin should resign.

Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a January 5 statement that on January 1, Austin had been "admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for complications following a recent elective medical procedure." The defense secretary's chief of staff informed the White House national security advisor on January 4 about Austin's hospitalization, according to the Pentagon.

In a statement on Monday, Ryder noted that Austin was still in the hospital. "He is recovering well and in good spirits. He is no longer in the Intensive Care Unit and is recovering in a more private area of the hospital. He continues to experience discomfort but his prognosis is good," Ryder noted. "We do not have a specific date for his release from the hospital at this time but will continue to provide daily updates until then."

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